Telanadas
by KuriQuinn
Summary: It's no secret Sasuke hates the cold almost as much as he hates humans or magic. And yet, here he is, struggling through knee-high snowdrifts in a mountain pass, side by side with two humans—one of them a mage—seeking the ashes of a long dead shemlen madwoman, in a party led by a dwarf with the most offensive coloured hair and puzzling good cheer he's ever encountered. [FusionFic]
1. Chapter One

**Summary** : It's no secret Sasuke hates the cold almost as much as he hates humans or magic. And yet, here he is, struggling through knee-high snowdrifts in a mountain pass, side by side with _two_ humans—one of them a mage—seeking the ashes of a long dead _shemlen_ madwoman, in a party led by a dwarf with the most offensive coloured hair and puzzling good cheer he's ever encountered. [Dragon Age/Naruto Fusion Fic]

 **Disclaimer** : This story utilizes characters, situations and premises that are copyright Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and Viz Media. No infringement on their respective copyrights pertaining to episodes, novelizations, comics or short stories is intended by the author in any way, shape or form. This fan oriented story is written solely for the author's own amusement and the entertainment of the readers. It is not for profit. Any resemblance to real organizations, institutions, products or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All fiction, plot and Original Characters with the exception of those introduced in the books, manga, video games, novelizations and anime, are the sole creation of KuriQuinn and using them without permission is considered rude, in bad-taste and will reflect seriously on your credibility as a writer. A thousand raging samurai will beat you into submission if you plagiarise.

 **Warning** : Fusion fic, so characters and backstories will obviously be a mixture of different elements from both different fandoms. As with most of my AUs, I make Sakura a little more of the badass she would have been if she didn't have an incompetent writer telling her story in the canon. **In short: there is mild OOCness here, in so far as events take place in a different universe and therefore have affected the characters in different ways and caused their personalities to be a little different than in canon.** **But Sasuke is still a scowly emo boy, Sakura is a cinnamon roll, Naruto our loveable idiot and Kakashi the perv with a heart of gold.**

 **Beta Reader:** No one but me and my editing software at the moment.

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"This is ridiculous!" Naruto complains, his shout almost lost in the howling wind. "I've never heard of _any_ village out this way, let alone a temple—it's not even on a proper map!"

Sasuke affords his travelling companion a scant glance, although he is of a similar mind.

The path before them is daunting, so windswept and snowy that it is almost impossible to see two feet in front of their faces. Even Sasuke, whose eyes are far better than anyone else's, has difficulty discerning where white ground ends and sky begins.

"We should stop to rest," Kakashi calls out at the leader of their procession. "This whole pursuit will be a waste if we lose any important bits to frostbite!"

Up ahead, the short, hooded figure spearheading their frigid ascent pauses and turns around. Thick strands of rosy hair whip around her face, a stark contrast to their bleak surroundings, and almost as jarring as her green eyes. Sasuke never would have expected to see eyes the colour of _feladara_ in a Child of the Stone.

He watches her face as she weighs the mage's words, biting her bottom lip in contemplation. Coupled with her small stature, the gesture would fool a stranger into thinking her frail, but he has learned not to take her soft features at face value. In the weeks since meeting her, he has seen her wrestle darkspawn and kill an ogre with nothing but an axe and her fist. The sight reminds him of the stories his people tell of the great elven general Tsunade, who wielded the enchanted blade of Katsuyu during the Battle of Forlorn Falls.

Not that he will ever tell a _dwarf_ that.

Sakura is more of a strategic thinker than her character would suggest—economic but also as opportunistic as a wolf. Though her first instinct is to help the less-fortunate, she is not above taking jobs for monetary gain. And yet, somehow those mercenary chores always yield some bounty vital to their overall objectives.

It is an odd talent of hers, and Sasuke is not sure if it makes him more unnerved by her or more curious. This uncertainty bothers him.

Sakura observes them all now, the slight narrowing of her eyes a tell Sasuke identifies as calculation. She is gauging their current fitness and comparing that to what she knows of their abilities. Whenever Sasuke feels those eyes, he has the disconcerting presentment she sees him like a playing card to sacrifice in a game of Wicked Grace.

"No, let's keep going," she decides after a beat. There is enough reluctance in her voice to suggest she would like to be out of the gale just as much as he, but she remains otherwise resolved. "There's still an hour left of daylight, such as it is. I want to get over that bluff before the snow changes the landscape too much."

Naruto does not bother disguising his moan of dismay, but Sasuke smirks.

 _The woman is not soft. I will give her that._

As he continues the trek up the frozen, slippery incline of the northernmost Sanrō Mountain, he wonders if that is because she also has a death wish.

The life of a Grey Warden is blighted, Sasuke has heard. The whole Order must be cursed, considering their duty to defend the entire continent from the menace of the darkspawn. Raised among the Dalish, Sasuke was taught to distrust all but his own kind, yet the Keeper and the storytellers in his clan spoke of the Wardens with great respect. It is a fellowship where all are equal, no matter their origins, and whose members follow a worthy calling.

Based on the dangers they face every day he cannot argue that even the hardiest of his own people would have baulked at such a challenge. No elf would have accepted _this_ quest in the first place.

Sasuke still wonders why he agreed to come along. There are four other members of their company who—idiosyncrasies aside—would have been more suited to the expedition. It is no secret he hates the cold almost as much as he hates humans or magic. And yet, here he is, struggling through knee-high snowdrifts in a mountain pass, side by side with _two_ humans—one of them a mage—seeking the ashes of a long dead _shemlen_ madwoman, in a party led by a dwarf with the most offensive coloured hair and puzzling good cheer he has ever encountered. If his father still lived—

Sasuke shakes his head.

There is no point in imagining how his father would or would not have reacted. He has been dead for years, along with the rest of the Uchiha clan.

 _Except for myself and a certain_ individual _that is._

Sasuke clenches his fist and orders himself to focus on other things.

His life's pursuit will not help him much in this icy hell, except as an incentive not to die. At least that offers more motivation than that which the Elders charged him with as a child. But then, Sasuke is already considered a traitor to his kind, his pursuit of revenge having pulled him far from the beliefs and traditions of the _Elvhen_. Living the life of an assassin and keeping company with a bunch of ruffians is far from the life he imagined for himself. As for this particular group…

Under normal circumstances, Sasuke would never lower himself to follow another, let alone someone like Sakura. Dwarven blood aside, she thinks too much with her heart, believing the best of people and forgiving them even their worst crimes.

Still.

There's _something_ about her that drew him in. Perhaps it is that she possesses a forthrightness he has not seen since childhood.

"Your gear's quality," she told him at once following their first meeting: a roadside ambush he had led. He had accepted a contract on behalf of the House of Crows to kill her and her party. Instead, she and Naruto handed him his first defeat since his last encounter with his brother, then convinced him to travel with them instead of returning to the Crows. "Well-made, and expensive. Much more serviceable than I'd expect for an elf."

Though her comments were clearly motivated by curiosity instead of malice, his pride was still smarting at his defeat.

"And what exactly would you expect from an elf?" he asked stiffly.

"Well…nothing as practical as this. I thought you'd be all…you know, _woodsy_. With the flowers and the wind and maybe singing a jaunty tune. But your stuff's about as mean as anything a duster could come up with. Just shinier. Suna-made, I'd say, except I thought elves hated the Empire?"

A clumsy interrogation tactic, which he deflected with ease. "Perhaps Iwa's archives are not the most accurate authority on the elves."

But she merely laughed off his dig at her home.

"Hey, let's not start up the stereotypical dwarven-elven rivalry, okay? Iwa's archives are hardly an authority on _Iwa._ I just want to know more about you, Sasuke-kun _._ "

"Hn."

He should have been insulted by the familiarity of her address, but as he could not detect even a hint of true derision, he merely settled on puzzled irritation.

Sakura is nothing like the legends say a Grey Warden should be though that could be down to the fact she apparently has not been one that long. This is according to the other Warden, Naruto, who has only been one six months longer.

As fate would have it, the bastard is also heir to the humans' throne in Konoha.

 _And that is_ bastard _in the literal sense, too, it would seem._

"You're the first elf I've ever known," the bewhiskered man told him shortly after Sakura spared Sasuke's life and recruited him. "I hope you understand how big a deal that it."

Sasuke had stared blankly. "Why?"

"Because your actions will influence my opinion of your race forever," Naruto replied with a grin. "So, if you turn out to be a giant wuss, I'll think all the elves are like that."

"And if I shove my arm into your chest and remove your still-beating heart?"

"I'll know you don't have a problem with getting your hand dirty?"

 _"Felasil_ ," Sasuke muttered, trying to put distance between the two of them.

Naruto was not put off by the threat of bodily harm at all. Worse, somehow Sasuke now finds himself constantly trailed after by the human and treated to a running commentary on every fool thought which enters his head. It has been a constant annoyance, though not without some reward. Sasuke has learned much more about his current travelling companions, the dwarf woman especially, than he would have had he lowered himself to asking.

As per to halfwit's ceaseless complaining and lamenting, and the occasional input from Kakashi, a mage who was also at the ill-fated offensive at Kannabi Bridge, Naruto and Sakura are the sole survivors of the entire contingent of Konoha's Grey Wardens.

During an encounter with the growing darkspawn horde, Konoha's war leader and the king's right-hand man, Danzō Shimura, quit the field mid-battle. Besides allowing the darkspawn to overrun the Grey Wardens, he facilitated the death of Konoha's king, Minato—Naruto's father. Now the traitor rules the country while the surviving Wardens are deemed criminals and the target of bounty-hunters everywhere.

Not that this has made them easy quarry to apprehend. Even if Sakura and Naruto lacked basic fighting abilities, they carry with them treaties that ensure safe passage based on the Warden name. While Sakura focusses her efforts on drumming up support to battle the Blight, Naruto seeks to clear the names of the Wardens. Sasuke is not sure he can fathom the threat of a giant horde of darkspawn beyond what he knows from legends. Yet he _does_ understand Naruto's wish to seek vindication for the deaths of one he considered family.

It does not make the younger man more palatable.

He is a constant source of tasteless jokes and immaturity, which on anyone else might speak of innocence but which Sasuke ascribes to dimwittedness. Some hand guides his fate, though, because he is still alive. Wardens do not initiate those without an ability to survive, and Sasuke is not about to suggest Naruto is unskilled. The swordsman is fast enough in combat that it sometimes seems like he can copy himself.

And as a leader, Sakura is not entirely a loss either. She has maintained a determination and optimism about her task, even climbing this godsforsaken mountain despite disliking the cold more than Sasuke. Dwarves come from deep underground where it is always warm. Elves wander wherever they will, from stifling deserts to—when necessary—the cold, winter steppes beyond the Land of Iron.

All of this on the off-chance of support for her quest.

 _Pursuit of lost causes must be a dwarven trait_ , Sasuke decides, not for the first time.

There is a bellowing roar in the distance, and an odd gusting sound that just cuts above the keening wind.

"Dragonkin," Sasuke says after a moment of straining his ears; he has encountered enough drakes in his life to recognise that type of cry. But this sounds a lot bigger. "Best to be careful—very careful."

"No, I figured we'd shout at it and get it to notice us," Naruto shoots back.

"Perhaps ring a gong?" Sakura suggests in jest.

"There are rumours of a high dragon in these mountains," Kakashi tells them. "At least that is what the historical scrolls say."

The Warden stomps a little harder at the snow.

"Bah! As if we don't have enough to worry about with a giant, Blight infected dragon commanding hordes of darkspawn underground. Now we have to deal with one that can swoop down and knock us off a mountain?"

"Yeah," Naruto agrees. "Swooping is bad."

Sasuke shoots the other man a look of disgust. Is it possible for him to sound like a bigger fool?

"Oh well, at least if it tries to set us on fire, we'll die warm!"

 _Apparently so._

"Would anyone miss him if we threw him into a crevice?" Sasuke wonders.

"Only the people of Konoha who hope to be rescued from beneath the heel of a megalomaniac dictator," Kakashi replies.

"You humans…" Sasuke rolls his eyes. "If he were anyone else with a less impressive pedigree, he'd be shovelling manure in the streets. But because his father happened to be what you call royal, he is considered important. It boggles the mind that your kind has spread so far across what was once _Elvhenan_ when your leaders are as thick as druffalo hide."

The wind must divert his words because neither Kakashi nor Naruto react to the slight. Sakura, however, sniggers in a way that is both conspiratorial and amused. As the only other non-human there, she appreciates the truth in his words. For that reason alone, he supposes he can tolerate her other quirks.

Even the ones that make his stomach jump at the oddest moments.

TBC

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Translations:

 _feladara_ – elfroot

 _shemlen_ – quick children; human

 _Elvhen –_ our people; what the elves call themselves

 _Felasil_ – fool, idiot, literally "slow mind"

 _Elvhenan_ – the place of out people; the place where freedom dwells our hearts; the entire continent which belonged to the elves before the humans destroyed their empire and enslaved most

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 _Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated! Check out my tumblr for news about fic updates and how you can support my writing endeavours._

 _Thanks for your interest in my work!_

 **栗**


	2. Chapter Two

Sakura's resolve to press on only lasts a half hour, if only because Nature makes a more convincing argument than Comfort. Darkness falls sooner than expected, and they are forced to find shelter.

As the winds grow strong enough to press the travellers up against the sharp, icy façade of the mountain, Sasuke spots a cave almost obscured by rock and snow. Even luckier, it is large enough that all four of them can fit comfortably inside without infringing on each other's personal space. Having had to sleep crowded against Naruto on at least two occasions lately and subjected to his kicking, Sasuke is more than relieved about this.

Once inside, Kakashi uses his magic to erect a barrier of fire, offering both protection from enemies and the frigid gusts of wind. As the blood flows back into Sasuke's fingers and toes, the mage conjures a small fire. Meanwhile, Sakura takes on the undesirable job of fashioning a small latrine at the back of the cave.

"That's all we need is for one of you to wander out to take a crap and fall off the side of a mountain," she says cheerfully.

Sasuke doubts any of them will make use of such a thing unless they are snowed in here for days. Then again, dwarves and humans have such odd notions of hygiene and propriety he cannot be entirely sure.

While Sasuke lays out their gear and armour to dry near the fire, Naruto digs about in their supplies to put together a warm meal.

 _Though_ meal _is being polite_ , Sasuke thinks with a grimace.

"I do not understand how you people can eat this," he mutters, the complaint escaping him before he can stop it. He was taught to consider food no more than fuel, but after weeks of the same paltry fare he has lost patience. "Do I even want to know what it is?"

"I think it was lamb at some point," Sakura says, accepting the makeshift bowl of tasteless noodles and jerky from the human. "But the texture…isn't one I'd normally associate with lamb."

"Beggars cannot be choosers," Kakashi replies mildly, shrugging one shoulder.

"What are you guys talking about?" Naruto asks, slurping down his share. "This is so much better than that frilly stuff we had back at the castle! I _hate_ food I can't pronounce. And this stuff _never_ goes bad. I bet if we packed it away, it'd still be good to eat fifty years from now!"

Sasuke stares at him in disgust. "I cannot even tell if you are joking or not."

"He is not," Kakashi confirms, examining what is left of their rations. "I am rather sure these are from supply caches that have not been opened since the Storm Age. They were old _before_ I stole them from the Circle of Magi."

"And…I'm done," Sakura says, offering her still-full bowl to Naruto, who cheers and adds the share to his own. Sasuke is tempted to do the same, but as it might be construed as a kindness to the human, he refrains. "What about you, Sasuke-kun? You didn't eat like this where you grew up, right?"

As always, she is trying to find out more about him.

"No." He intends to leave it at that, but when she gazes up at him beseechingly, a follow-up question clearly on her lips, he elaborates: "Simple fare. Bread made from seeds. Milk from our _halla_. Vegetables."

He tries not to lick his lips at the mere _thought_ of tomatoes. It has been so long since they had a decent meal.

" _Halla_?" Sakura repeats, confused. "Is that a kind of animal in Oto?"

Sasuke tenses, realising his unconscious slip.

"Not necessarily Oto," Kakashi answers for him, eyes widening in understanding. " _Halla_ are creatures like horned stags. The Dalish consider them to be noble companions." He raises an eyebrow. "I had wondered about the markings on your face, Sasuke. They resemble none of the tattoos that the House of Crows use…but I have never seen that particular _vallaslin_ before, either."

" _Dalish_?" Naruto asks Sasuke in slack-jawed awe. "Wow, really? Arl Hiruzen used to talk about the Dalish, but I've never actually met one before!"

"Your powers of observation are worse than I thought, as you have been travelling with one for weeks now," Sasuke bites out.

"Oi!"

"What's _vallaslin_?" Sakura asks quickly, obviously attempting to curtail an argument.

Sasuke shrugs noncommittally, not wanting to explain.

"It translates to 'blood writing', if memory serves," Kakashi says in his place. "A sign of adulthood, and adherence to the beliefs and traditions of the Dalish. It is surprising that one who submitted to the ritual would then be found working as an assassin for the House of Crows."

"Chains of a past that no longer exists," Sasuke interrupts. "I am going to sleep. It has been a long day."

He turns away from the fire, a clear message that he has no intention of answering any questions or pursuing the discussion further.

He can feel Sakura's eyes on him, but after a short pause, she suddenly says, "Well, that still sounds a lot better than what happened to me. I got this—" He imagines she is pointing at the rhombus shaped brand on her forehead, "—just for being born in the wrong place."

"Heh. I understand what that's like," Naruto snorts.

"Maybe. Except as far as I know, Konoha doesn't brand a newborn with a hot poker just because his parents were unwed."

"What? No way!"

"Uh-huh. The minute a casteless dwarf is born, we get marked, so there's no way to mistake who we are if the nobles catch us lurking in the richer quarters. Also, it makes it way easier for Carta recruiters to decide which kids they can press-gang into doing their dirty work."

"Carta—the dwarven crime syndicate?" Kakashi questions, sounding surprised.

Back still turned in a pretence of sleep, Sasuke frowns. He does not find that surprising at all. It certainly explains her occasionally mercenary attitude and her talent for surviving insurmountable odds. The Carta offers about as friendly an upbringing as the Crows do.

"They're the ones who smuggled lyrium to the Templars," Naruto whispers, a little uncomfortable. No doubt he had comrades who suffered from that particular addiction. "You were one of them?"

"There wasn't much choice," she replies, unembarrassed. "Since the most respectable job for a casteless dwarf is sweeping the streets, and there's only a few people who even get _that_ job. It's either work for the Carta or become a noble hunter. And I'd starve to death begging before I got on my back for some jacked-up noble because I _might_ bear him a son." She sounds abruptly fierce just then. "No disrespect to the women I grew up with who did that—there'd be no dwarves left down there if there were no noble hunters. But I won't sell my heart for the small chance of pretty clothes and jewels."

Sasuke snorts at this.

 _There is that naivety again._

"It seems we are talking too loudly and disturbing the elf's sleep," Kakashi remarks wryly, but Sasuke refuses to reply. It is enough that he has been forced by close quarters to listen to this.

Sakura is not so easily fooled; though she does not speak to him, her next words are pointed.

"People should be allowed to love one another without reprisal. Without duty or society or anyone else's agenda getting in the way," Sakura says, and her tone has lost all the levity he would normally associate with it. She only sounds like that when defending a cause that she considers worthy.

"You're right," Naruto says quickly. "The world would be a much nicer place if that were true."

"Perhaps some places," Kakashi says carefully. "Circles of the Magi, for one. But for the good of the many, sometimes the desires of the few need to be set aside. Many a peace accord may never have happened if the belligerents in a conflict did not seal it with a marriage. And our world may have looked much different."

"Maybe up here on the surface," Sakura says. "Back in Iwa they're so obsessed with blood purity that soon there won't be anyone left to marry, diplomatic or not. If people could choose…if people could choose, Iwa might not be falling into the dust."

There is sadness and anger in her tone, coupled with the sudden shifting of her body.

"Anyhow. It's not like any of this matters here and now," she goes on, and her tone is such an abrupt shift to cheeriness that Sasuke knows it is fake. "We just have to get to that temple and find those ashes to help Arl Hiruzen."

"That is assuming they do exist," Kakashi says reasonably. "This 'Urn of Sacred Ashes' could be nothing more than a rumour. Or a hoax."

"You couldn't have said something before we climbed half a mountain to get here?" Sakura jokes lightly. _"Shannaro…"_

"No, it's real," Naruto insists, faithful Templar even now. "Just wait, we'll get those ashes back to him and he'll be kicking down Danzō's door in no time—believe it!"

 _The dwarf is not the only naïve one._

"I'm sure you're right, Naruto," Sakura says warmly. "But in order to get up there, we need to be at full strength. Which means sleep. I can take first watch if you want."

"No, you've been pushing yourself pretty hard the last few days, Sakura. Take a break. Kakashi and I can keep a lookout since _someone_ 's being a lazy arse."

The recipient of the barb rolls his eyes.

"Naruto," Sakura warns.

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Go on, Sakura, he is right. You are no good to your cause if you pass out and freeze to death in the snow," Kakashi coaxes.

"Hah! Like I'd let that happen!" Naruto scoffs.

"Well, thank you guys. I guess I can take an hour—but I will take second watch at least."

 _That is what you think_ , Sasuke decides.

Annoying as the humans are, they are correct. Sakura is no good to them dead from exhaustion. Especially since Sasuke has thrown his lot in with her, he intends to keep her alive until he figures her out.

It should not be an issue to take the next watch.

There is a sound of shifting armour and the rustling of a camp bed, and he imagines Sakura has indeed turned in for the night. Kakashi and Naruto murmur to each other quietly, not wanting to disturb her; Sasuke is not so lucky, his ears picking up even the quietest whispers.

"I'm actually just as tired," Naruto groans. "I'll play you for first watch, if you promise not to cheat."

"No, you go ahead and sleep. I'll stay up and read for a little."

"Ugh…just make sure you 'read' far away from my blanket."

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. You mages are all perverts…"

Sasuke silently agrees.

After that, everything goes quiet (or as quiet as they can with Naruto's snores). Sasuke allows himself to sink into a light sleep for a few hours, but when his ears pick up on Kakashi shifting in discomfort, he rouses himself. The older man has an odd propensity to take longer watches than he ought, to let everyone else rest. This makes no sense considering Sasuke does not need as much sleep as anyone else in the party. Sakura would say it is because Kakashi is an old mother hen at heart, but Sasuke is not sure. He does not trust humans, and mages even less, even when they do not wear masks to cover all but the eyes, the way Kakashi does.

With a stretch, Sasuke climbs out of his bedroll. He heads for the mouth of the cave to take a piss, then goes to sit beside the mage.

"I will take the watch until morning," he murmurs. "You people are no use to me dead on your feet."

"I sense there was concern in there somewhere behind all the stoic," Kakashi remarks.

" _Tch_."

"I'm serious, Sasuke. You are so tightly wound, it cannot be good for you. You know what would do you some good?"

"I suspect you are about to tell me."

"If you went out some time, found a girl, and did naughty things with her that did not involve trousers," the mage continues as if he hasn't heard him. "If you are in the market, I know of at least one who is definitely interested."

The way his eyes slide toward where Sakura is sleeping, albeit fitfully, leaves no question to whom he is referring.

" _Len'alas lath'din_ ," Sasuke grumbles, turning away in contempt.

"Now, now, that is not very polite," the mage says, more amused than offended. And it should not surprise Sasuke that the older man knows Elvish, especially given his remarks earlier about blood writing. No doubt he has read about it in his studies, locked away in one of those _shemlen_ towers.

He honestly has no intention of replying, but Kakashi continues to look more amused than he should. It reminds Sasuke a little of the teasing his cousin Shisui used to subject him to, and now, as then, his pride does not allow him to let it go.

"What makes you think I have not already?" he hedges.

Kakashi chuckles. "I can smell purity a mile away. It is a talent."

"That proves to be useful, I am sure."

"Not that often, as it turns out. It would be much better if I could sense Templars. It might make them easier to avoid."

Sasuke snorts. "You have my deepest condolences."

"Heh. Likewise." Kakashi puts away his well-worn, orange-covered book. "And so does _she_."

The comment has Sasuke puzzling over it longer than he will admit.

When he gets it, he wonders if it is too late to hit the older man.

TBC

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Translations:

Halla – type of horned stag, used by the Dalish to pull their landships

Vallaslin – intricate facial tattoos worn by adult clan members of the Dalish elf tribes

Arl – feudal title; rules over an arling

Lyrium – valuable mineral/material whose consumption can strengthen a mage and boost their mana

 _Len'alas lath'din_ _-_ dirty child no one loves; Dalish insult

* * *

 _Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated! Check out my tumblr for news about fic updates and how you can support my writing endeavours._

 _Thanks for your interest in my work!_

 **栗**


	3. Chapter Three

**Author's Note:** Some dialogue has been taken directly from _Dragon Age: Origins_ but only to add context to the plot.

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For a time, all is quiet.

The night watch is Sasuke's preferred duty, offering him a chance to collect his thoughts. Kakashi might not be wrong about him being tightly wound, but he refuses to accept it is for the reasons suggested.

More likely, it is suddenly being in close quarters with an entire party of fighters who are all-but his equals. He is much more used to travelling and working alone, or at least working with underlings that do not insist on _talking_ so much. Naruto and Sakura are so lively that it is sometimes overstimulating, and more often than not, confusing.

There is a sudden sharp, desperate intake of breath: a bitten off cry, followed by Sakura vaulting into a seated position. Sasuke's head whips up to evaluate the threat, noting her wide and terrified eyes, and the way her fingers twitch toward her axe. Across the cave, Naruto shudders in unconscious empathy, while Kakashi's breathing pauses. The mage's single visible eye cracks open, his entire body tense as if expecting an attack. When it settles on Sakura, his body relaxes.

He is used to this behaviour. They all are.

Though the mage does not get up to check on her—they have all learned not to mention the nightmares—he continues to watch her with concern.

Sasuke does not move, either.

It is common for Sakura or Naruto to wake in such an agitated manner. The former Templar mentioned to Sasuke once that the dreams are part of being a Warden, something to do with their secret initiation.

He seemed childishly put-out when Sasuke refused to ask him what was so secret about it.

Now, Naruto continues to snore away in the corner, so deeply asleep even a giant's bellow might not rouse him. He remains unaware of his fellow Warden's distress, and yet, if there were darkspawn falling upon their camp, he would be one of the first to his feet.

 _Another inexplicable quirk to being a Warden_ , Sasuke supposes, studying Sakura's face in the dark. Her expression is painfully familiar.

Sasuke knows what it is like to be gripped by night terrors. Though he does not wake in such a cold sweat after so many years, he recognises the disorientation and terror one experiences ripping oneself out of the Fade. In the early years, anyone who ventured close to him would be lucky to escape with mere bruises. After his time in Oto, anyone disturbing him after such a nightmare would be lucky to survive the trouble.

Sakura inhales a shuddering breath that on any other woman Sasuke might imagine was a terrified sob, before the rest of her senses wake as well. She seems to notice Sasuke's eyes on her, because she turns red, and looks away.

"Sorry," she mumbles.

He doesn't understand; why would she apologise for something she cannot control?

Still not looking at him, Sakura turns back around, pulling her blanket up around her ears with the determination of one who intends to chase sleep no matter what. What follows is a solid ten minutes of tossing back and forth, to the point Sasuke begins to grind his teeth in irritation. Finally, she gives it up as a bad job and rises, wrapping her cover around her. Sakura shuffles over to sit beside him, rubbing warmth into her forearms while leaning closer to the fire.

"I can spell you if you want," she offers. "Doubt I'm going to sleep much more tonight."

"I have already slept."

"For ten minutes?" she challenges.

"For long enough."

She puffs out her cheeks in annoyance, then smiles and shrugs. "Alright, but that just means you're going to be keeping company with me for a while."

He shrugs.

Distantly, Kakashi makes an oddly exaggerating yawning sound and then turns his back on the two of them. Sasuke would suspect an intent to eavesdrop if they were not in the middle of a mission where alertness could mean the difference between life or death. The otherwise meddling fool is not one to sacrifice his battle effectiveness for misguided matchmaking ploys.

At least, Sasuke highly doubts he is.

He isn't completely sure until several minutes later when the mage's breathing evens out in slumber. This leaves Sasuke, for all intents and purposes, alone with Sakura in the night. It is not the first time it's happened, nor is it likely to be the last, yet he cannot deny a growing sense of apprehension.

Sasuke's world has always been very monochromatic and easily categorised. Based on how people react to him, he forms a very precise first impression and his intuition about people's motives has the same deadly accuracy of his archery skills. Humans and dwarves alike have always gazed upon him in silent judgement, and even the flat-ears in the Alienages are wary in his presence.

But Sakura looks at him the same way she does everyone else they meet—as if his past does not matter, and she cares only about who he is now. It is almost as confusing as when she looks at him the _other_ way.

There is a reason Kakashi's unwanted teasing makes him uncomfortable. Part of that may have to do with the fact he is not as unaware of the woman's attentions as he pretends.

He just doesn't know how he feels about them.

Sasuke frowns at her, studying her face as if it holds the answers he is seeking. She endures this for a while, but eventually tires of the silence.

"Don't you ever talk?" she asks. "I mean, make small-talk just to put people at ease?"

"Would you have me remark upon the weather before I put an arrow in someone's eye?"

She giggles at this.

"Right, because you're such a hard-ass," she grins. "You can drop the act. It's not like anyone will notice."

She jerks her head at Naruto, who flails his arms and mutters unintelligibly in his sleep. _"Ho_ _…_ _ka_ _…_ _ge_ _…_ _"_

Sasuke crosses his arms.

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Come on, I saw you what you were doing, right before we left Uzushiogakure."

He raises an eyebrow rather sure she's simply trying to get a rise out of him.

"You know," she reminds him. "Playing with that kitten."

Warmth floods his cheeks, and he hopes those rumours about dwarven eyesight being better in the dark are false.

"There was no kitten."

"I saw you," she insists, grin widening. "You were dangling a piece of twine for it."

"I was…" Sasuke flounders here and blurts out the first practical thing to come to mind, "helping it to train."

Right away he wishes to take that back due to the sheer idiocy of the comment.

Sakura stares at him for a moment as if she is trying to confirm exactly what she just heard. Sasuke braces for a loud peal of laughter—she does that a lot, though it has never been directed _at_ him before. Instead, her grin softens into a genuine smile, and the amusement in her eyes fades to something else.

"You really are a kind man under all that anger, aren't you, Sasuke-kun?"

He glowers and looks away, folding his arms. "I have flee-on-sight warnings in six kingdoms. _Kind_ is the last word I would use."

"If you say so…"

Her tone suggests how unbothered she is by his argument. He takes that as an invitation to go on the offensive. "Very well. Then how do you explain your tendency to sniff dirt?"

 _"What?!"_

"Do not deny it," he counters mercilessly. "I saw you pick up a handful of dirt and sniff it, just before we headed up this mountain."

"I did not!"

"You did. I saw you."

"Fine," she admits, cheeks turning red and tossing her hair. "But it smells _good_. It's like…falling leaves and sunlight and _living_ things. Everything back home smelled like nug-dung, so you can't exactly blame me!" She crosses her arms. "Aren't elves supposed to be close to nature?"

"Figuratively. We do not shove our noses with it."

"But you still like cats."

They consider each other in silence for a beat, until Sasuke states, "We will never speak of this again."

"My lips are sealed," she vows, but her eyes continue to dance.

Sasuke glares at the ceiling of the gave. "Are all dwarves as annoying as you?"

She does not appear bothered by the rhetorical question; possibly because, against his will, his tone has lost any actual sharpness.

 _These people are making me weak_ _…_

They sit together in silence for a spell, and he is surprised to find it a companionable one. Usually Sakura is wandering among the camp, chatting to the rest of the outfit about everything from the rations to childhood stories. She has an uncanny ability to get people to confide in her.

(It is one of the reasons he has avoided her for so long).

Yet, for an hour, they simply sit together. Sasuke discovers that, for once, his thoughts seem to meander, and a peaceful silence replaces the usually steady barrage of plans and vengeance-fueled intent.

He cannot remember the last time he felt like this.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Sakura blurts. Sasuke raises an eyebrow at the abrupt statement. "What we were talking about before, about…the Dalish. If we offended you or made you think of something you don't want to."

The peaceful haze ebbs away.

"Ah." He shrugs, feeling suddenly cold. "You were not to know."

"Maybe not. But if you ever…if you ever _do_ want to talk about it, I'm here," she offers. "Sometimes talking helps."

"Not in my experience," he retorts, crossing his arms and looking away.

He hopes for that to be the end of it, his goodwill toward her presence vanishing. He wishes she had fallen asleep after all. At least when she is asleep, he does not have to be on guard for whatever she will say.

"You know, just because you look all pretty and brooding, doesn't mean you actually have to brood."

Like that.

Sasuke is so surprised that the confused look he shoots her might include a gaping mouth most unbefitting of his upbringing.

"Oh, Ancestors!" she gasps, pressing her fists to her mouth in horror. "I can't believe that just came out of my mouth! I mean, yes, I can, because it's true, but I didn't mean to say it out _loud_!"

As she rambles, Sasuke cannot help feeling insulted.

 _Pretty_?

He has never been described by a word so trite as _pretty_ in his entire life. It is not as if he cares overly much about his appearance, but the mere _idea_ of her descriptor makes him indignant.

And he does not know why.

"…it's just, not what I thought about elves," Sakura is still talking, clearly unaware of his inner conundrum. "The stories talk about you like you're walking trees or plants or something. With bright bug eyes and wrists that would snap if you squint at them wrong, but you're...uhm…prett—I mean, _solid_ looking."

Yet again, he does not know how to respond to any of that.

So, for once, _he_ says the first thing to come to mind.

"I was raised to believe female dwarves had beards," he informs her flatly.

Sakura blinks at this, and then she _does_ burst into laughter; it is the startled sound of someone finding humour in a most unexpected place. A beat later, as Kakashi and Naruto shift in their sleep, she tries to quiet her giggles.

"Did you make a joke?" she teases him, green eyes positively delighted.

"It does not happen often," he grumbles and looks away. His cheeks are definitely warm this time.

"Good thing, too, or you might cause an uproar. We're travelling with a bunch of cloudheads. I don't think their hearts could take the stress."

Again, they share a look, commiseration over the general ineptitude of the human species.

"Yeah, they wouldn't last a minute growing up in Iwa," Sakura continues. "A joke's not a good one unless someone ends up with a broken nose. At least that's what my mother would say."

Sasuke blinks. "Your mother…sounds _interesting._ "

It is the politest way to put it. He may have his own issues with people, but he learned young not to insult anyone's mother.

"She's a spitfire," Sakura agrees. "She'd have to be, coming from Dust Town. If you don't strap on a pair of steel tits down there, you end up dead in an alley."

"That is the part of Iwa you come from?"

"Dust Town? Yes."

"Hm. Is it truly as I have heard?"

"I've no idea. What have you heard?"

"That it is like an Alienage," Sasuke says, shuddering at the idea of the ghettos that house his kind in the cities. They might have forgotten their ways, but distantly, they are still his kin.

"Oh, no," Sakura says, snorting. "No, I've seen Alienages. We were in Kumo and Kiri before we ran into you. They were both rather nice. I'd have killed to grow up somewhere like that."

"Yes, you mentioned…"

"Hah! Kakashi was right! You were listening!"

He ignores this.

"Is it true that the number of dwarves is dwindling?" Sasuke asks. "That the darkspawn are always at the gates of Iwa, threatening to overwhelm you?"

"Yes. And yes, it's only a matter of time before they do."

"You do not seem entirely concerned about that," Sasuke frowns.

"Why should I be?"

"My people…we are few. Every one of us is precious, our lives something to be guarded and mourned once they are lost. But you dwarves isolate your casteless, forbid them from bearing weapons that might help them fight off their own demise…"

He trails off, not quite sure what point he is trying to make.

"Yeah, well, the noble caste has a stick up its collective arse," Sakura shrugs. "A stick called tradition. And at some point, it's going to destroy them. See, the thing about the casteless is, we're survivors. The time comes that the darkspawn overwhelm Iwa? It'll be the dusters that survive it because we've been keeping ourselves going for centuries."

She smiles, teeth bared like a wolf and a glint in her eyes that sends a chill shooting up his spine. It is not fear, that he is sure of, but the way his stomach flips and his mouth suddenly goes dry he wonders if it is not something worse.

"If your people are so beset by darkspawn, why leave to become a Warden?" Sasuke asks before he can think better of it. "There are more underground than here. Would you not be more useful amongst your own?"

Sakura looks thoughtful for a moment, and then sad.

"That's a tale for another time, I think," she says after a beat. "Ask me the next time we get our hands on some lichen ale. If you don't pass out at the first sip, I'll tell you the whole story."

Sasuke is familiar enough with not wanting to speak of the past, and he lets this go. But he frowns. "I doubt your dwarven spirits are _that_ potent."

Sakura laughs again, eyes dancing, and Sasuke almost smiles in response.

Almost.

TBC

* * *

 _Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated! Check out my tumblr for news about fic updates and how you can support my writing endeavours._

 _Thanks for your interest in my work!_

 **栗**


	4. Chapter Four

The storm continues through the night and into the morning, persisting long after dawn's first light. The members of the outfit sit in silence, distractedly playing cards or dice as they wait for the sharp wind to subside and the sun to pierce the constant cover of clouds.

When the blowing snow and ice subsist, but still does not give way to light, Kakashi ventures from the cave to scout their surroundings. His magic affords him the ability to transform into a creature more inclined toward frigid temperatures, and with senses more useful than a human's.

"Too bad he can't cast that on us," Naruto grumbles. "I wish I had a fur coat right now…"

"With our luck, we would end up stuck as forest creatures with him forgetting to undo the spell," Sasuke points out.

"I guess…"

"Don't be so critical. Kakashi's a talented mage," Sakura says loyally. Off their unimpressed expressions, she goes on to admit, "When he's not getting distracted by every old lady or black cat crossing the street."

While waiting for the mage to return, the three of them continue their game of Wicked Grace, though it is only out of habit. For whatever reason, when the three of them play, the game always ends up in a three-way deadlock. Sakura and Sasuke are equals in strategy and Naruto appears to have the luck of the gods; Sasuke would accuse him of cheating if it were not for the fact the other man cannot lie to save his life.

A shadow lurks in the entrance of the cave, and they all glance up at the giant bear that looms over them. The beast gives a deliberate shake of its shoulders, knocking thick deposits of snow off, and then begins to shift. A moment later, Kakashi stands there, appearing mildly disgruntled.

"The way is somewhat clear," he tells them. "It is not the best condition. There are snow drifts everywhere, and the wind is still like a knife. But we will be able to see more than a few feet in front of us."

"Oh, great. So, if we're about to go over a cliff, we'll at least be able to see the way down," Naruto complains.

"No sign of any temple, though, cursed or otherwise," Kakashi continues. "It will be just our luck if we end up having the climb the _whole_ mountain before we reach it."

"This Kaguya person is more trouble than she is worth," Sasuke mutters.

"Well, the legend does say the temple is at the very top of this peak," Sakura says with a shrug. "The odds of us finding it soon are a fool's hope."

They make quick work of packing the rest of their gear before bundling themselves once more against the cold. Kakashi bewitches several small stones to emit a comfortable warmth, setting them into their gloves and boots, and then they are off.

Just as the day before, wind slashes at them like a Suna raiding party, coming from every direction and without warning. Luckily, it is not laden with snow or ice anymore, or they would be blinded. Still, the whites of Sasuke's eyes freeze if he opens his lids beyond a squint.

Kakashi was not joking about the snowdrifts, either. They are high and unyielding, forcing them all into an ungainly march that has Sasuke's calves and thighs burning at the repetitive movement.

The shortest of their party, Sakura has the worst of it, though she does her best to soldier on. Despite her efforts, she slows them down even just following behind the taller men. Deciding they will be stuck out in the cold that much longer if they wait for her, Sasuke grabs her pack and tosses it to Naruto. Before the man can question it, Sasuke then orders Sakura to clamber onto his back.

"What?!" she demands, face red in a manner that is more embarrassment than the assault of cold on her cheeks. "N-no, I'm fine, I can manage—"

"You will manage to get left behind and lost," he informs her gruffly. "Gird your pride for another day. When we are in Iwa drinking your dwarven liquor. For today, I want to get out of this weather."

"He does have a point, Sakura, even if he is being remarkably blunt about it," Kakashi agrees. "At least endure it until we get to more steady ground. The higher we get, the more solid the ground will be."

She spares another half a second in consideration, before nodding, and clambering up on Sasuke's back. As she settles into place, she does not notice the way Kakashi's eyes crinkle or the outline of his mouth beneath his mask. Sasuke does, and knows the older man is smirking at him, but ignores it.

"Just do not fall off or choke me," he informs Sakura as they continue onward.

"Right," she says, sounding a little breathless. "Are you sure I'm not too heavy for you? I could get Naruto to—"

"It is fine," he cuts her off, hefting her once to get a better grip under her thighs. It does not escape his attention that this is the closest they have ever been, or the most they have touched since they met. Or that the weight of her against his back is more comfortable than he would have thought.

"Hey, asshole, don't you dare try anything funny," Naruto calls back to him, scowling at Sasuke in annoyance. He is ridiculously overprotective of his fellow Warden, and while it is easy to ignore most of the time, right now it is a little more difficult than usual.

Especially with the growing warmth of her body so close to his.

Teeth gritted, Sasuke sets off forward, stalking past the other two until they hurry to catch up.

The rest of the journey is thankfully silent. Sasuke is so focussed on the weather and not dropping his charge that need not dwell on troublesome notions.

It may be an hour, perhaps more, when they finally experience a break.

The wind dies down, and the sun pierces through the cloud cover, illuminating their path in front of them. Even better, the snow is more stable now, and there is no longer any danger of becoming mired waist-deep in it.

"You can let me down now," Sakura says quietly in his ear. Sasuke disguises his shiver by immediately relinquishing his hold on her, allowing her to drop gracefully to her feet. "Let me know if I can return the favour sometime."

"I doubt there will ever be an occasion where _you_ need to carry _me_ ," he says stiffly.

Something like hurt flashes across her face at this, which bothers him, because he was not intending to be insulting. He simply cannot fathom a situation where he would be injured or unconscious to such an extent that he could not soldier through it.

Before he can tell her so, there's a shout from Naruto. "Look!"

They both glance up. It takes a moment, and then they see it: village in the distance.

"Yes!" Naruto punches his fist in the air. "We can finally get out of this frozen hell and get a homecooked meal! And maybe even sleep in an actual bed!"

Sasuke privately thinks the village will not have much of either. The pathetic collection of hovels is overshadowed by trees and rock outcroppings, so that even as the afternoon sunlight shines, the village remains shrouded in night.

"I can barely believe it," Sakura says, wandering away from Sasuke, their minor interchange apparently forgotten. "What sort of people would choose to settle up here?"

"Ask Sasuke," Naruto sniggers. "It probably looks like paradise for him."

"As long as you are not present, it could be," Sasuke replies, but his distraction takes the tartness out of his reply. The village exudes an aura of foreboding he has only experienced once. When he was a child, he and Itachi stumbled onto the ruins of an elven temple. The stench of death and darkness hung there like the air of a crypt, and it is the same feeling he gets from this village.

Still, there is no point or purpose to turning around now. With their quest demanding they search this place, and without any other possibility of shelter for miles, this damned hamlet is their only terminus.

The approach is silent and grim, and Sasuke can sense his comrades anxiety. Everyone seems ready to spring at a moment's notice. Every step closer to the village, the atmosphere of _wrongness_ increases.

It is not improved as they wander past the first eerie, shabby houses. Trees that appear more dead than alive sprout haphazardly out of the snowy paths. In the distance, a small dock floats with one lone boat moored on a lake that has likely never unfrozen. More of the miserable houses, shacks of mismatched wood, dot the slope up the mountainside. Abandoned wagons and farm gear litter the frozen, winding paths.

But the most disconcerting thing about this whole place is the utter silence that reigns. Sasuke can hear no people, nor animals. It is as if the very whisper of the wind through the trees is missing in this place.

The hair on the back of his neck stands on end.

They have not gone far when they are suddenly joined by another presence. As if appearing by magic, a leather-faced, hollow-eyed man in tattered armour appears.

"What are you doing in Rōran?" he demands.

He addresses Naruto, barely taking notice of the other three behind him; it is a human quirk Sasuke knows well. People immediately assume that Naruto is the leader of their outfit because he is both a human and a warrior. Sasuke's ears and Sakura's small build, as well as Kakashi's staff, cause humans to view them as no more than second-class.

It is a fiction Sakura encourages, if only because of the use in enemies misjudging which of their group presents the most danger.

"There's nothing for you here," the sentry insists.

"How do you know that?" Naruto challenges cheerfully. "I could be a merchant with many useful items and wares that people here would benefit from."

The guard is not impressed. "You haven't got a cart. And you all look like you're starving, not selling."

"Never mind that," Kakashi interrupts. "We have business here."

"No, you don't. I'd've been informed if anyone was expecting…" his eyes rove over them judgementally, " _visitors_."

"We're looking for information," Sakura pipes up, "and once we have it, we can be on our way."

"Hmph. Perhaps Revered Father Mukade will know of what you seek. Unfortunately, he's ministering to the villagers now and can't be disturbed."

"Then why mention him?" Sasuke mutters under his breath.

It is clear the man does not intend to tell them anything useful, even if he were privy to it. The group tacitly agree not to mention their actual quest, and Sakura instead suggests, "Maybe you can offer us some answers then."

"Ask and be on your way."

"Is there anyone else who might know the goings on in the area? An elder, or even a barkeep?"

"We've neither."

"Do you know where the next nearest settlement is then?"

"No."

Sakura does not exactly frown, but her mouth firms a little. Her eyes flit to Sasuke, and her head makes an incremental move to one side that suggests there is no point to continuing this.

"Can you point us in the direction of somewhere to gather provisions, then?" Kakashi asks. "If we can resupply and rest for a spell, we can be out of here as soon as possible."

The guard gives him a sour look, clearly wanting to deny him, but thinks better on it.

"There's a general supply store up the ways," he tells them grudgingly. "Won't be much there, but it's better than nothing."

"Thanks," Sakura says, plastering a false smile on her face and prodding a scowling Naruto ahead of her.

The sentry watches them as they head in the direction he indicated, and even when he is far behind them, Sasuke continues to feel his eyes.

"Anyone else feel the cold, icy fingers of dread up their spine?" Naruto asks under his breath. "That guy was _disturbing_."

"That is not the only thing that worries me," Kakashi agrees quietly. "I have never heard of a Revered Father within the Chantry hierarchy.

"And where are all the people?" Sakura adds. "They can't _all_ be asleep or out working, can they? You'd the think there'd be women and children about."

As they enter the village proper, Sasuke moves closer to Sakura, angling slightly downward to murmur, "You have no intention of _just_ getting supplies, do you?"

"No," she agrees. "But they say it's better to ask forgiveness than permission. Is he still watching us?"

"Hm."

"I will deal with this," Kakashi replies, and covertly flicks his fingers. A wispy green cloud flickers in the surrounding air, and then dissipates before it truly takes form. "I can have this swarm lead him on a bit of a chase while we look around."

But it turns out there is not much to see.

Though they pass many houses, more than they expected at first glance, they all appear empty. Once Naruto tries to catch a peek through the dirty, frost-covered windows, but the spying yields nothing.

"You shouldn't do that."

Everyone jumps as—in the same manner as the lone sentry—a skinny, wan child appears, like the sentry, as if out of nowhere.

"Why are you here?" he presses.

Sakura moves forward, offering the boy a kind smile. "We're just travellers passing through."

"Why would you travel here?" he asks bluntly. "Lowlanders don't belong here."

"We can really, really see that," Naruto murmurs to himself.

"I remember some Lowlanders like you," the boy goes on, unaware or uncaring. "They left…I think. I never saw them again." Sasuke and Kakashi exchange significant looks. "I doubt I'll see you again."

He walks away without warning, singing softly to himself in an unnerving monotone.

"All in favour of getting the hell out of here?" Naruto suggests.

"Not yet," Sakura says and nods to something up ahead: the supply store of which the sentry spoke. "If there's a merchant of some sort there, I bet he'll know something."

The store itself is homely, but surprisingly, the sallow-skinned shopkeeper is a little more forthcoming than his fellow villagers.

"You're not from Rōran," he says, tone more surprised than unkind.

"Everyone says that as if we are not aware of that fact," Kakashi remarks mildly.

"Well we…we don't get many visitors," the man says, honest enough, but he sounds nervous.

"This place is so remote," Sakura agrees. "Can you tell us about it?"

The man shrugs noncommittally. "How would you describe the place you only know as home?"

 _Something is not right in here,_ Sasuke decides, studying the barren walls of the store. There is a familiar tang in the air that should not be in a merchant's abode.

"I can think of a few words about mine," Naruto snorts.

"We need to resupply," Kakashi says. "Basic rations, healing kits, blankets…"

"I don't have much, but I suppose you can take a look," the man says, as if it's not his business to see to the needs of customers.

The falseness of the entire thing begins to grate on Sasuke, and while Sakura starts to barter with the man, he wanders around the room. As he explores farther away from the counter, the sharp smell in the air becomes more pronounced. It appears to be coming from a door to the back of the store.

Sasuke frowns and moves forward.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" the shopkeeper snaps. "That's private!"

"I smell blood," he replies. That is all it takes for the sallow-faced man to give a sudden unholy shriek and throw himself over the counter at Sakura.

The move is so surprising, she does not react until he has knocked her to the ground, throwing her elbows back to catch herself. He is already pulling something from his belt, a dagger gleaming in the dim light of the store.

"Sakura, watch out!"

TBC

* * *

 _Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated! Check out my tumblr for news about fic updates and how you can support my writing endeavours._

 _Thanks for your interest in my work!_

 **栗**


	5. Chapter Five

Sasuke's bowstring snaps before he even realises he has drawn his weapon. An arrow buries itself in the hapless shopkeeper's throat with such force that the madman topples backward off Sakura.

Sakura stares down at the shopkeeper as he gives a last dying gurgle and gapes up at Sasuke. Her surprise is almost comical, given the rarity of catching her off-guard. The other two in their party do not seem to find the same amusement.

"What the hell was that?" Naruto demands, though he could be referring to either the shopkeeper's sudden madness or Sasuke's actions.

Kakashi is not so vague.

"Was that entirely necessary?" he asks Sasuke, tone wry with exasperated disapproval. "We might have interrogated him."

"It would have been a waste of time," Sasuke replies, unapologetic. "Considering how forthcoming the other villagers have been, it would likely take days that we do not have."

He goes to the door he noticed before and shoves it open; it's unlocked, surprising given the body dumped inside. The shopkeeper obviously was not expecting anyone to investigate—either because of lack of visitors or because murder is perhaps not so serious a crime in this strange place.

 _Likely both_ , Sasuke decides, staring down at the bloated corpse there. It is a day old, and signs of torture show on the skin beneath the tarnished armour and cloak.

His comrades shuffle in behind him.

"Those are Uzushiogakure colours," Naruto breathes, pain and anger rising in his voice at the reminder of his childhood home. A rare darkness spread across the man's face. "This is one of the knights Lady Biwako sent out looking for the Urn of Sacred Ashes."

"This might explain why none of them returned," Sakura adds softly.

Kakashi studies the corpse with a frown. "The question is, was he killed for being a stranger, or for looking for something they did not want him to find?"

"We will soon find out," Sasuke determines, catching sight of something moving outside the shop window. "Since we fall into both categories."

He brings up his bow again and nocks another arrow.

His comrades need no further explanation or prompting, hefting their own weapons. Using only hand signals and facial expressions, Sakura directs them into formation. With Sasuke covering from behind and Kakashi blowing the door open by magic, she and Naruto charge from the tiny shop.

Sasuke counts six enemies in their immediate vicinity, including the guard from earlier, and two archers just out of range. While Naruto charges forward, taking out three of the closest, Sakura clashes with the sentry and Kakashi turns the archers in the distance to statues of ice. The two remaining attackers are dispatched with arrows through their eye sockets.

"Is this whole village full of crazy people?" Naruto demands, gawking at the bodies surrounding them now. All of their adversaries are dressed like villagers, but their weapons are better quality than are normally crafted in a rural area.

"There's something amiss here," Sakura says. "In my experience, peasants don't charge a party of well-armed strangers like this."

"Not unless they are under the influence of magic," Sasuke agrees.

"Blood magic, perhaps," Kakashi corrects, shooting him a reproachful look. "Or it could just be they are determined to protect exactly what we have come to seek."

"But that makes no sense," Naruto says. "Kaguya was the Rabbit Goddess, a woman of peace. She stopped war throughout the land before the Maker took her as his bride. If these are her followers, they would be non-violent."

"That is one version of the story," Sasuke snorts. "Perhaps there is another we are not privy to."

"Well, we won't find out more just standing here," Sakura points out. "Let's go. I see a Chantry up ahead, and the guard told us we might find a cleric in there. I'm sure we can ask him."

They trek out of the centre of the village and head up the incline of the mountain, only to be thrown backwards by the force of a giant, invisible fist.

"Mage," Kakashi gasps belatedly.

"Really? I would never have guessed," Sasuke sneers, clutching his ribs.

 _Bruised, probably, but not broken._

Over the crest of the hill, four men charge them; unlike the villagers, these are dressed in odd armour, with horned and fanged helmets protruding from them. And the swords they wield appear to be—

Another blast of magic explodes in the surrounding air, and the four of them duck out of the way. Rocks and tree branches fall all around them, and they scramble for cover.

Naruto struggles to his feet. "Split up?"

"Not with that mage up there protecting them," Sakura replies, wiping a lip split by a stray rock. "We need to tempt them out his protective range."

"And we do not know how many there are," Sasuke adds.

"You two draw them down the mountain," Kakashi says. "Sasuke can pick them off from here. _I_ will deal with the mage."

Without giving them a chance to argue, his form glows and shifts. He transforms into a hawk and takes to the sky.

"Right," Sakura says. "Sasuke, get in position."

"Hm."

It is another odd quirk of hers that he has noticed, this willingness to hand over the reigns of command to any among their party. He has met no other leader that has so willing heeded the instincts of their underlings, but Sakura has a bewildering trust in her companions.

 _It has served her well so far, so who am I to question it?_

Naruto and Sakura venture forward, preparing for the oncoming onslaught from the foot-soldiers. Even as they brandish their weapons, they are forced to dodge fireballs and projectiles of ice raining down on them from the sky. Sasuke, in turn, slips into the shade of the snow-laden trees, covering himself in shadow to keep the enemy from noticing him when he shoots. Just as he reaches for his first arrow, his ears twitch and the hair at the back of his neck stands on end.

Instantly, Sasuke ducks downward, hearing the swipe of a blade through the space once occupied by his head. His fingers fasten upon the dagger in his boot, and he twists, shoving it into the stomach of the unlucky rogue that attempted to sneak up on him.

"You breathe too loudly," he growls, yanking the dagger out and rising to meet the blade of the second assassin waiting in the shadows.

Out in the open, Naruto and Sakura are faring about as well. The blond man catches an enemy blade on his shield and then charges forward with several swipes of his sword. Sakura, surrounded by three men, grunts with effort as she heaves her two-handed axe about, warning them away from her when they venture too close.

Fire continues to fall from the sky, narrowly missing Sasuke's comrades. As soon as he dispatches his second attacker, he raises his bow again and fires a torrent of arrows into the sky, angling their trajectory to fall behind the enemy. Each volley forces the brigands around Sakura and Naruto to dart away, distracting them enough to give them both openings. Naruto bashes his shield up under the jaw of his assailant, while Sakura slices her axe in a broad arc, cleaving clean through the torso of her nearest opponent.

Before she can make a run at the third, a patch of icicles, sharp as knives, burst out of the snow around her. She is forced to throw herself to one side lest she be gored to death.

"Somebody needs to kill that _void-damned_ —"

Until the magical onslaught suddenly stops.

Far up on the crest of the hill, a cage of lightning encircles the spellcaster. As he jerks and screeches, the electricity reducing him to a charred skeleton, Kakashi materialises beside him, waving them forward with his staff.

"—mage," Sasuke finishes.

"Isn't it funny how he can be on time when he wants to be?" Sakura asks cheerfully. She pushes herself up from where she landed and retrieves her axe.

She and Naruto hurry on up the hill, and Sasuke scowls.

"Show-off," he mutters, picking up his pace.

The steep mountain path is ringed with trees and wooden arches, man-made and looking far too much like crucifixes for his liking. As soon as they round the bend, they are waylaid by yet another warrior, a taller and bulkier man than the others, also dressed in the gaudy, twisted armour.

He emits a roar of fury and winds his arms back, throwing a short-axe at them as they charge forward. The first almost hits its target, pinning Kakashi's thick robe to a nearby cliff-face. While the mage busies himself with getting free, a second weapon is thrown at Sakura and Naruto, which they duck. It flies somewhere to Sasuke's left as Naruto pushes forward with his shield.

The brute snarls, dodging to one side and roughly shoving Naruto away bodily. Sakura is waiting in the wings, swinging overhead with her two-handed blade—

Which he catches in between his hands.

For a moment shock rings through the snow-covered battlefield, because nothing has ever stopped Sakura's axe before now.

The enemy warrior wrenches it away, taking advantage of the dwarf's momentary loss of balance by grabbing her by the throat.

"Sakura!" Naruto cries, while Sasuke nocks an arrow.

 _One through the face and I can free her—!_

There is a burning, stabbing pain in Sasuke's hand, and an arrow that is not his punches through his palm. Both his bow and arrow drop, as Kakashi yells, "Archer!"; at the same time, Sakura is thrown backward by her assailant. She slams into the side of the cliff so hard that snow and rock rain down on her in a small avalanche.

"I will take care of this!" Kakashi declares, crackling electricity sprouting from the tip of his staff. Naruto is once more charging the indomitable warrior, and Sasuke's eyes flit to the rubble beneath which Sakura is buried.

 _She could be—_

He orders himself to focus and turns his attention to where the enemy has picked up Sakura's axe and now seems to be trying to split Naruto in half.

Sasuke grasps for his bow, but his bleeding left hand is numb; likely a paralysing agent coating the arrow that hit him. Even if he were to power through it, any arrow he tries to shoot might hit Naruto instead.

With no other recourse, Sasuke ducks down and grabs enemy's discarded small axe, hefting it with his uninjured right hand, and prepares. Just as the giant brute swings downward on Naruto, who has tumbled backward in the snow, Sasuke whips the axe forward.

It ploughs into the face of the man, sending him sprawling onto the snow several feet away.

In the distance, Kakashi finally deals with the archer.

"Nice shot!" Naruto tells Sasuke as he gets to his feet, but the elf ignores him, turning instead to the spot where Sakura fell earlier. A queer, hollow sensation trembles in his gut for a moment, until the snow and rock move. Sakura crawls out from beneath it, looking a little bruised but no worse for the wear.

"It's a good thing dwarves have thick skulls," she jokes, pulling off her spiked helmet and rubbing the back of her head. She glances over at the downed man, and whistles. "Nice shot, Naruto."

"Nah, that was all Sasuke," the blond man grins. "And here I didn't think he could do anything without that pansy-ass bow of his."

"Come here and I will show you how much I can do," Sasuke growls, raising his hand to form a fist. He winces when he remembers there is a hole in it. The paralysing agent is wearing off, but that does nothing for the pain.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cries and is instantly by his side examining the wound. "Are you alright?"

"Hey, what about me, Sakura?" Naruto wants to know. "I'm the one who almost died…"

"You're not bleeding out in the snow," she retorts.

"I am not _bleeding out_ ," Sasuke mutters, trying to tug his hand away from her, but Sakura keeps a tight hold on his wrist. "Kakashi will see to it when he gets here."

He doesn't like being cured by magic, but his hands are too valuable to his trade and too necessary to their survival to heal by natural methods.

"I can't believe you threw an axe in someone's face," Sakura says, shaking her head but with eyes dancing.

"Is that not how your people solve disputes?" he challenges. "Perhaps I am acclimating."

"Mm, a man after my own heart," she teases. "If I weren't buckled into my armour or, you know, half-frozen to death, I'd take you right here and now."

Sasuke stares at her, his brain slowing to process what he just heard. A second later, his treacherous mind offers him a brief, lewd image of the Warden straddling him in the snow, wearing nothing but her smallclothes.

Below his belt, a certain part of his anatomy gives an interested twitch before he can control himself. Naruto's roar of laughter brings him back to himself, just as Kakashi makes his appearance.

"Did I miss something?" the masked man wonders.

"Just Sasuke, stunned beyond all forms of belief," Naruto sniggers.

Sakura protests. "Oh, stop it!"

"A pity…I would have liked to see that," Kakashi observes.

"Shut up and fix my hand, mage," Sasuke orders, thrusting his fingers into his face. Business-like, the mage reaches over and presses his fingertips to Sasuke's ruined palm. Blue energy encompasses the limb, and with a short burst of cool energy, bone, muscle and skin knit together. Not even a scar remains. "Now is not the time for childish antics—or have none of you noticed the weapons our attackers have been wielding?"

Sakura wanders over to the dead man and yanks the axe out of his skull; after cleaning it off in the snow, her eyebrows rise almost into her hair.

"Human bone," she gasps, confirming what Sasuke's keen eyes saw earlier. "Every weapon here is carved from bone…"

"But then…how are they so strong?" Naruto asks. "I mean, I know a bone can be strong, but against silverite?"

"It's magic," Kakashi says darkly. "Runes carved into the bone while the victim yet lives, and blood magic to prolong the process and bind it."

"That's barbaric!"

Kakashi nods. "It is a practice outlawed for centuries. Even the Suna Empire no longer practices this."

"How horrible," Sakura shudders.

"That is not the worst thing," Sasuke murmurs. Sakura looks at him askance, and he hesitates to speak this truth to her, but she needs to know. " _That_ blade you hold was hewn from the pelvis bone of a child."

A horrified silence falls over them.

The gravity of Sasuke's words takes a moment to sink in, but when they do his comrades expressions shift noticeably. Even Sakura's habitual bright demeanour vanishes, something smouldering and angry entering her eyes. It is the same look he saw the time a blood mage suggested the only way to save a village from rampaging corpses was to sacrifice a child's life.

"It seems we have discovered why the people are living in such a remote outpost," he continues coolly. "This type of crime…this is punishable only by being removed from the land of the living."

"Which is exactly what we're going to do," Naruto growls. "These bastards have just read themselves out of the human race. Out of _any_ race! There's some stuff you're just not allowed to do, and killing kids…they might as well be darkspawn!"

Sakura does not speak for once. Instead, she stalks over to retrieve her own axe, grips it expertly in both hands, and then heads in the direction of the Chantry. Sasuke watches her go, a minor note of alarm simmering beneath his usual calm.

"I do not disagree with any of that, but recall that this quest is not just about weeding out the undesirables. We still need information, and someone has to remain breathing if we intend to get it from them," Kakashi remarks.

"I guess," Naruto allows, though the words are reluctant. He rubs the back of his head nervously. "Som which one of you wants to be the one to stop her and tell her that?"

Kakashi clears his throat and fiddles with his mask, raising an eyebrow at Sasuke in question.

The elf rolls his eyes and marches off after Sakura.

TBC

* * *

 _Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated! Check out my tumblr for news about fic updates and how you can support my writing endeavours._

 _Thanks for your interest in my work!_

 **栗**


	6. Chapter Six

Sasuke is not especially concerned with humans killing humans, but children are children regardless. They are too young to commit the crimes of their elders. No one who kills children should be shown mercy. He understood that as a boy when he was forced to bury the infants of his clan with his own tiny hands.

Much as he wishes to walk into their Chantry and fire every arrow in his quiver until they all die gasping, these monsters might have information the Warden needs. Though tempting and necessary, destroying them might invalidate the entire damned trek up the mountain.

"Sakura," Sasuke prompts when he is within a few paces of her.

She glances back, eyes blazing and her entire body still bristling with fury. Something in his own gaze must penetrate though. For several seconds they stand in front of one another, and then her shoulders slump and she sighs as if ceding the point of argument to him. He wonders, not for the first time, if dwarves can read minds, because her ability to divine his thoughts without him explaining himself is uncanny.

"So, now that we're not all murder-happy," Naruto says as he and Kakashi catch up, "should we sneak in around the back?"

"The building is cut out of the mountain side, there is no way around the back unless you want to climb through the trees," Sasuke replies.

"No. We're not walking on eggshells here," Sakura determines, slowly swinging her axe upward to rest across her right shoulder. To the unsuspecting eye it would seem as if she is simply stowing her weapon while they travel. Sasuke knows from experience that it just makes it much easier for her to swing on a moment's notice. "We may have to show mercy, but we won't do it quietly. The whole problem with this place is the quiet."

Kakashi and Naruto nod in solemn agreement, and the four of them set off the rest of the way. Upon reaching the Chantry, Kakashi waves a hand and the heavy iron and wood doors push open.

The _shemlen_ temple looks the same as every other such building that Sasuke has ever seen, although it is perhaps draughtier than most. He has never understood the human need to be entombed within stone walls and arches ceilings, especially when the gods are already within nature.

The party strides up the centre aisle of the nave, and Sasuke casts keen eyes over their surroundings. The aisles of the Chantry are shrouded in darkness, but he easily makes out four armed soldiers lingering in the shadows. Up in front of the chancel, a crowd of people are gathered—fewer than he expected to be here. Eight villagers, judging by the homespun clothing, one of them a woman holding tightly to a little girl. The woman shakes with the resolve of someone acting against their instinct, and the child seems fearful and suspicious.

The wooden handle of Sakura's axe creaks as she tightens her grip on it.

Finally, standing on a step above the people is an old man with thickset eyes and a turban. He wears a rough version of the Chantry robe Sasuke has seen on the male clerics of the human faith and holds a staff that Sasuke suspects is not decorative.

 _Another sign that something is wrong. Given the Chantry's fear mages, one of their clerics would not_ be _a mage._

The gathered crowd are either unaware of uncaring of the newcomers' approach. The man in the turban is gazing up at the vaulted ceiling, waving his arms as he speaks.

"We are blessed beyond measure! We are _chosen_ by the holy and beloved to be her guardians. This sacred duty is given to _us_ alone! Rejoice, my brethren, and prepare your hearts to receive her!" He raises his arms in benediction. "Lift up your voices and despair not, for _she_ will raise her faithful servants to glory when her…"

He trails off, finally noticing that the four strangers have no intention of waiting in the wings while the sermon finishes. "Ah. Welcome. I am the Revered Father Mukade. I heard we had visitors _wandering_ around the village—I trust you have enjoyed your time in Rōran so far?"

The elaborately casual, pleasant tone is too much for Sakura.

"Stow it!" she snaps. "We are all well past pretending this village is normal, hidden away up here."

"Perhaps," Mukade says darkly, "but staying hidden means staying protected. And we must protect Rōran and our charges at all costs."

"Charges?" Kakashi challenges. "Is that what she is?" He nods at the young girl. "Or is she the method you will use? I have never known the Chantry to resort to blood magic."

"We do not owe you any explanations for our actions. We have a sacred duty. Failure to protect _her_ would be a great sin. All will be forgiven."

"You kill _children_ ," Sakura hisses. "There is _no_ forgiveness for that."

"We do as the goddess requires for her care," Mukade dismisses.

"That's enough," Naruto says. "You and your followers will already pay for your crimes. But we're here on a mission to save a life. Help us, and maybe you can begin to redeem yourselves. Tell us where we can find the Urn of Sacred Ashes, and your end will be quick."

"You have come all this way chasing a myth," the old man snorts. "You will not find it here. And even if you could, your presence here disturbs the goddess' rest. You must pay for your sins." He steps back. "My brethren, you know what must be done!"

The guards Sasuke saw earlier coalesce from the shadows, weapons brandished—the same bone weapons that they have already encountered. When they go to raise their arms, however, it is as if the swords are covered in grease and the bows weighted down by a stiff wind.

Glyphs shine beneath them, Kakashi's fingers twitching.

"Oh, well, it looks like you picked some clumsy guards," the mage remarks mildly, as Sasuke raises his bow, while Naruto and Sakura brandish their blades.

"Do not underestimate the will of the goddess!" Mukade snarls.

That is when the villagers suddenly throw themselves forward, revealing beneath their rags daggers and hatchets made of the same bone as the guards' weapons. The woman backs away, shielding her child behind her in one corner of the Chantry.

Sasuke wastes no more time taking out the guards before they can recover from Kakashi's misdirection hex, while the mage darts forward to contend with Mukade. The cleric swings his staff around, revealing it as a magic tool just as Sasuke suspected. Naruto and Sakura field the onslaught by the villagers, but it soon becomes clear all is not what it seems.

The men move like marionettes, flinging themselves forward without bothering to guard against the bone-breaking weight of Naruto's shield or sword. Several pieces of bone—from the weapons and a man's jaw when he shoves his face in the way—embed in the wood before Naruto swings his sword even once. One of them throws himself in the path of Sakura's axe with such vigour that he knocks it from her hands, sacrificing his life to do so. The others close in on her, swiping and jabbing at her with their bone weapons.

Without her axe, she opts to use her bare hands, ducking and lashing out with fists and palms in an unfamiliar bare-handed technique Sasuke.

For all their odd fervour, the villagers are not well-trained, but they appear heartier than the average peasant. Despite several crippling blows—and even severed limbs—they continue to throw themselves at Sakura and Naruto. Sasuke puts an end to it, unflinchingly shooting an arrow through the eye sockets of each one.

Except they are _still_ moving.

"What the hell is up with these guys?" Naruto demands as one of them, black blood trailing down his chin, tries to use its own arm as a weapon.

"Magic," Sakura says, throwing another over her head and knocking two others into a heap. "Some spell is controlling them." She makes her way over to where the village woman is huddled with her daughter. "Are you alright? If you can move, you and your daughter need to get out of here, before—"

"You'll not stop my child from being saved!" the woman screeches suddenly, eyes glowing with an unearthly reflective light as she takes a swipe at Sakura.

The dwarf jumps back, catching the woman's arm in front of her. A moment later, she juts her head forward, headbutting her hard enough that the woman falls back. She does not get up, and the child gives a cry and kneels beside her. For a moment, Sakura seems to pause, but then a wet explosion of sound rips through the air and the overwhelming scent of blood joins it. All the still struggling villagers drop as if their strings have been cut.

Kakashi now stands before the stain on the stone floor that was once Mukade. Sasuke's stomach twitches in minor disgust at the reminder that their mild-mannered comrade is also a dangerous apostate.

"They're dead," Naruto says, toeing the closest villager with his boot. "All of them."

"I think they might have been dead for days," Sakura says. "Except…" She moves to check on the child and her mother. "This woman's alive!" She crouches down to check on the woman, mouth pulling into a brief, downward grimace of pain.

Sasuke frowns at the spasm, and but rather than comment on it asks, "She was not being controlled?"

"N-no…" answers a feeble voice, and the woman's eyes open. "My husband…" Her gaze flits painfully to one corpse on the ground as Sakura helps her to her feet. "In the middle of the night…brought me here…made me bring Sāra." The little girl sobs. "He wanted to…he wanted…"

Kakashi comes over, placing a hand on the woman's temple. His palm glows, and the bruise across her face vanishes. A further moment of concentration and he nods to himself.

"Whatever control kept him alive, whatever took over your mind, is gone now, my lady," Kakashi tells the woman.

"Sēramu," she supplies. "Th-thank you."

Losing interest in the proceedings, Sasuke makes the rounds by the bodies, checking that they are truly dead. Though Kakashi's pronouncement is true, it makes him feel better to slit their throats as a precaution.

"You must get out of this place," Naruto tells the woman.

"But…this is our home!"

"I think it's been a long time since this place was a home…"

"Go for the sake of you and your daughter," Sakura insists. "Take whatever provisions you can and leave. Kakashi can draw you a map of a cave shelter on the way down, and as soon as the weather passes, get off this cursed mountain."

"I will," Sēramu says at last, determination hardening her features. "And you should take this." She reaches for her daughter, lifting a cord from her neck; attached at the bottom is a large, bronze disc with the symbol of Kaguya. "Mukade intended to soak this with my daughter's blood, for what purpose he wouldn't say. There's something important about it, and he wouldn't have wanted you to have it."

"It looks like a key," Kakashi muses, taking the medallion. "But not for a regular door."

"There's a hidden entrance in the antechamber," she says, "perhaps that's what it opens?"

"Perhaps…" Sakura says, squinting at the disc. "Or…it's for something older."

"Thank you for saving me," the woman says, bowing her head humbly. Then, with one last terrified glance, she scoops up her daughter and disappears.

A thoughtful frown on his face, Kakashi leads the group into the antechamber and says, "Give me a moment, I will find the door she spoke of."

"No need," Sakura says, moving carefully toward a section of the wall. "The stone here is newer than the rest of the building." She studies it a moment further, cocking her head to one side as he considers the stones, and then prods one with her right hand. "The mortar here is cracked, as if…" She pushes on one of the rounded stone, and with a creak, the door slides open, "As if it were used to being pushed!"

"You really know your stone, huh?" Naruto says, admiringly.

The door now opens fully, a back passage extends about half a kilometre ahead on an incline. From his vantage point, Sasuke sees a bright light at the end, and feels a blast of cold, suggesting it opens out on the mountainside somewhere.

"I suppose that means onward and upward," Kakashi sighs.

"Oh, just point me in the direction, I'll rip these bastards apart," Naruto growls, already heading for the antechamber.

"No," Sakura says quickly. "We don't know what's waiting for us there. Sēramu said more villagers, but it's more likely to be cultists. They could be preparing to ambush us the minute we leave this Chantry. And as for the ruin she spoke of…we don't know how big that place is, either. It could be as small as this building, or it could be something else. If it's a ruin from the time of Kaguya, it could have been built by the ancient of the Suna Empire—"

"Or the elves," Sasuke adds.

"—which means there could be passages that go on for days. If we're _really_ unlucky, it could be a lost _thaig_ that got cut off from Iwa," she finishes. "We need a lay of the land."

"You are right," Kakashi agrees, approving as always in the wake of Sakura's analysis. "But if it is not just cultists up there, but villagers too? You have seen the houses—there could be hundreds."

"So, you're saying we need a strategy," Naruto muses.

"You come up with that, then. Sasuke and I will go ahead," Kakashi begins, but Sakura shakes her head.

"No. If there's trouble lingering back here, a ranged fighter will give us time to make an escape," Sakura replies. "And if you're caught snooping up there, you need someone that can deal with any oncoming attackers while you're casting. You and Naruto go, scout ahead. Sasuke and I will hold the line here." She smiles weakly. "And he's not too bad at strategy, either."

It is not the first time she has complimented him, but the back of Sasuke's neck warms. He refuses to look at Kakashi.

"Hmph. I'm trying not to be insulted," Naruto grumbles, "But okay, I get it. You want your strongest fighter up front, right, Sakura?"

She smiles at him. "Right."

Sasuke's heart jolts, but it is not in reaction to her complimenting the human.

"Well, come on then, Kakashi, we've got work to do," Naruto insists, already marching ahead.

"If something should happen," the silver-haired mage begins, but Sakura shakes her head.

"Everything is under control. You'll be back soon and we'll figure out our next move," she insists, while Sasuke continues to scrutinise her wordlessly.

Kakashi may also sense something amiss, but he also trusts her judgement. After another pause, he nods his head and sighs. "I should go make sure the fool boy doesn't walk into a bear trap or something…"

He begins his trek up the snowy path.

Sakura and Sasuke watch them in silence until disappear out of the snowy exit, and then Sakura lets out a shuddering breath.

"What were you not telling them?" Sasuke asks quietly, and it would be a demand, but he is careful to keep his voice level. Sound travels in passages such as these.

"Don't make a fuss," she warns him quietly, turning to look at him, and he notices for the first time the way the blood has drained from her cheeks. She moves her left hand, which he realises now she has been holding very carefully in front of her.

Jutting out from just beneath the edge of her chest plate, Sasuke sees a jagged white piece of bone. Blood wells around the wound.

"I need you help," she tells him, teeth gritted in pain.

TBC

* * *

 _Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated! Check out my tumblr for news about fic updates and how you can support my writing endeavours._

 _Thanks for your interest in my work!_

 **栗**


	7. Chapter Seven

Sasuke is frozen for a moment, staring uncomprehendingly at the ugly wound.

Uncomprehending because Sakura _never_ gets injured.

Being a dwarf, she has a thick-skin. As naturally skilled as she is in evasion, it should be impossible for anyone, let alone a blood-mage controlled villager, to land a blow on her. Especially in such a precarious place: a mere inch higher and it would have speared her kidney.

A jolt of pain lances his chest like a dagger of ice.

 _She could have died_.

"Sasuke-kun?" she prompts, and he shakes himself out of the unexpected shock. There is no time to dwell, and he forces himself to act.

Sasuke strides forward to examine the wound and the bone-weapon protruding from it.

"Are you stupid?" he asks harshly. "I hope you had good reason to send the mage away when you knew about this."

"Maybe you didn't notice, but healing magic takes more energy out of Kakashi-sensei than the other kind," she replies, unrepentant. "He's not like Rin, who comes by it naturally." The other mage in their party had remained behind in Uzushiogakure to keep the Arl's condition stable. "And if we're possibly about to face an entire village of cultists, he needs to be at his best."

"And what about you?" he challenges, lightly prodding fingertips along the inflamed skin. "You are no use if you can't swing an axe without bleeding all over it."

"Now you're worried about blood?" she teases and then winces when he traces the edge of the bone impaling her; luckily, the surface is smooth and not serrated. If removed properly, it will not tear anything vital. "It's just a flesh wound. Nothing a little elfroot and deep mushroom can't fix if applied properly." She offers him a confident smile, but there is a tinge of pain in her eyes that he does not like. "That's where you come in. You've got steady hands and you don't let your feelings impede your work."

 _Do not be so sure about that_ , Sasuke thinks. Out loud, though, he grunts, "You still should not have sent Kakashi away."

"What would you have done?" she shoots back. "You hate people fussing over you, too."

"That is…different."

"Why, because you're a stoic elf above the mundane needs of us lesser beings?" she deadpans, earning an annoyed look. She smirks in reply, but that quickly turns to a frown of suspicion. "Or is it because I'm a woman?"

Sasuke blinks. "That…why would that even be a factor?"

"Haven't you been travelling through Konoha with us the past few weeks?" she chuckles and then swears when that jolts her wound. "Take my kit from my belt, my herbs and poultices are in there." Sasuke reaches for this, and she continues as if there was no interruption. "Women around here aren't exactly considered equal. It's the same in Iwa. Even among the warrior caste of the dwarves, if you don't have a penis, you get treated like you shouldn't even be allowed to hold a sword." Sasuke fumbles with the catch on her belt at this, but he does not think she notices. "I take it it's not like that for elves?"

"Every elf—man or woman or other-spirit—is born with a pair of hands to fight or work," Sasuke confirms as he searches through her medicinal bag. "We do not see the logic in the arbitrary constructs created by _foreigners_."

"Huh." Sakura considers this and grins. "Well, that's the most sensible thing I've ever heard about elves. Now, take off my armour and tunic."

Sasuke's brain stalls again. "What?"

"You have to see what you're doing," she reminds him, nodding down at the roots and balms in his hand.

"I do not have to see _that_ much of you," he grumbles, avoiding her gaze as he carefully removes her breast-plate and gauntlets.

Sasuke allows himself only the shortest pause before untucking the edges of her tunic. He rolls up the hem where he can and cuts the rest of it so as not to jar the bone shard. Thankfully, there is no need to remove her clothing completely, but his cheeks still grow warm. He does his best to hide it, leaning forward and allowing his hair to fall in a curtain around his face. "What is next?"

"I need to drink a coagulation tonic, it'll temporarily thicken my blood to prevent the wound from bleeding too much. After that, you need to apply the elfroot balm around the wound to stave off infection and numb the area. After that, pull out the bone and add a healing poultice to speed up the regeneration—easy!"

Sasuke rolls his eyes, rather sure she is oversimplifying it. He is always surprised that a dwarf knows so much of healing.

"Well, we'd have to, wouldn't we?" she replies, and he realises he voiced his thoughts. "Dwarves don't have magic like you and the humans do. Normally, we can't even _dream_. So we have to learn practical ways of doing things to compensate."

"Hm. I suppose."

"That's not so surprising, is it? I mean, you hate magic—are you telling me you went to a mage whenever you had an arrow in the knee or your guts half hanging out?"

He inclines his head, point taken.

Sorting through the vials in her pack, Sasuke finds the tonic Sakura spoke of, and something he recognises as an anaesthetic from his own past injuries. He holds out both to her, and after she takes several sips of each, she lies back with her eyes closed. While she waits for them to take effect, Sasuke unscrews the top of the numbing balm and applies it generously to the area around the wound.

She shudders. Not from pain, he realises when gooseflesh rises against his fingertips and she mumbles, "Cold."

Sasuke watches her, observing the slight frown in her forehead that suggests she remains as alert as ever. Something occurs to him.

"You said dwarves do not dream," he says. He recalls her recent nightmare in their ice-cave shelter. "I have seen for myself that this is not true."

Sakura's expression darkens, and when she opens her eyes, something hollow and otherworldly flickers across her irises. He has seen that same glimmer in Naruto's eyes. Then, with a shiver, it fades and her usual brightness returns.

"Dwarves don't. _I_ do. It's part of being a Warden," she explains. "I can't tell you why or how, but apparently that transcends anything so trite as biology."

"Is that why there are so few dwarven Wardens?"

"Well, I don't know if there aren't a lot of dwarven Wardens or if I haven't met them yet. Could be there are tons…but I sort of doubt it. We keep to our own, and if a duster _really_ wants to fight darkspawn, take a step outside Iwa's borders and there they are," Sakura dismisses. "Okay, the numbing tonic will have gone into effect now and I can't feel anything down there anymore. Enlarge the wound and check if the bone's stuck anywhere, or if any pieces have broken off."

"Enlarge?" Sasuke echoes, making a face.

"With a knife. There's a sterilisation agent in the kit. Delicate cut, and when it's big enough, you can use your finger to follow the shaft of the bone all the way down. If it isn't lodged anywhere, just pull it out."

"And if it _is_ lodged somewhere?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," she answers calmly, and Sasuke feels his stomach rebel a little. "Anyway, as I was saying before, my kind don't need to join the Wardens. The Order only ever comes down to Iwa when they're ready to die, so it's pretty rare. And dusters are more likely to join the Carta or a merchant guild because you have a better chance of getting rich. Money is the second most important quality to a dwarf, next to being a warrior. And I had neither."

"If your family was so ensconced with the Carta, how did you end up recruited to the Grey Wardens then?" Sasuke asks, finding that hearing her talk helps him focus. At least if she is talking, she's not in pain or possibly about to bleed out because he has done something wrong.

"There was this local boss with the Carta—Sasori. Pulled all the strings of everything in Dust Town," she explains. "He ordered me to fix a match for him in the Proving Grounds."

"The Proving Grounds?"

"Yeah—blood sport entertainment for the masses at its best," she laughs. He shoots her a glare for jostling his workspace, and she bites her lips. "Oops. Sorry."

"You are a horrible patient," he informs her, before turning to his work. He is trying to be as delicate as possible as he enlarges the wound, not wanting to cut into anything vital.

"All healers are! Even more so if they're dwarves."

She watches him work for a while, and he can almost feel the smile directed at him as he does. It makes him uneasy.

"You were talking about some sort of contest?" he prompts.

"Oh—yeah, right! So, there are these battles for honour and glory that the nobles put on for a laugh and to make money. Anyway, Sasori wanted me to sneak in and mess with some nug-humping deep lord's armour so that _his_ man could win the contest. Except the fool he hired got blind _drunk_ the night before! The sot wasn't going to be able to pee standing up, let alone win a fight any time soon—rigged or not. And that would have been my hide."

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at her, not wanting to betray his interest in the outcome, but admittedly curious. Sakura notices, because she grins at him, her nose scrunching up and her dimples coming out. She continues the story without need of prompt.

"So, I put his helmet and armour on—great thing about dwarven armour is it's as shapeless as it is solid. Can't tell if it's a man or woman under it usually, unless you've got an exceptionally long beard." She winks at Sasuke here, and against his will the corner of his mouth twitches. "I went into the fight in his place. I got all the way to the last round before the stupid idiot woke up and came staggering out into the arena," she finishes proudly.

"Surely they let you continue since you came so far," he says. Among his own people, prowess in battle is usually rewarded.

"Of course not," Sakura snorts. "Let a casteless piece of gutter trash sully their precious Provings? I had to make a run for it before they arrested me. But then Sasori and his people caught up with me before I could reaach the surface and he stuck me in his own little private gaol cell."

There is a pause here, one he would not notice except it happens the same time her expression goes dark, and her eyes glint with something cold.

 _I take it Sasori did not live to regret his mistake._

"Anyhow, after that I escaped and made another run for it, but the only way out was through the Deep Roads." She notices his confused look and adds, "Old, underground trade routes we lost to the darkspawn centuries ago. That's when I met this cloudhead from the surface wandering through the place. Iruka."

Sasuke recognises the name. Naruto speaks often of the man who recruited him to the Order and who died with his father during the offensive at Kannabi Bridge.

"He said he'd seen me in the Provings and that I had talent. He'd get me out of Iwa alive, as long as I promised to become a Grey Warden. It wasn't like I had much of a choice. It was either get lost in the Deep Roads until I became a giant spider's next meal or face the headman's axe back in Iwa. This way, I figured I could live a little longer. Maybe do some good. At least I'd get to see the world a little."

"Is that the reason you are so loyal to the Wardens?" he asks.

"Well, they gave me a second chance."

"No, they did not. One man did. And the way the half-wit bastard tells it, you have never even met anyone in your Order beyond himself and this _Iruka_. And in this country, you are hated just for being a part of the Wardens. One would think that with your background, you would not seek out such ill repute again."

"My background?" she repeats. "Oh, you mean because back in Iwa, I was a worthless, casteless thief?"

"I did not say that."

"No, it's fair. And it's true. But I'm also a Warden, and no one can argue it."

She has a point there, but he is still having trouble understanding why she would go through all of this.

"So you will give your life on this thankless quest, all in their name?" Sasuke asks. "What is this meant to prove?"

Sakura pauses for a moment, thinking, and concludes slowly, "It's meant to prove that I'm…that I'm more than anyone ever said I am. That even if I never returned home, in my heart I can know they were all wrong about me."

"It is never wise to put value on what others think of you. You owe no one any such thing," he tells her, unexpectedly vehement about this. "From what I have seen you accomplish, it is clear you are above the need to prove your worth to anyone."

"Except the only person who matters."

"And that is?"

"Me," she says quietly. "I need to prove it to myself. To test myself."

Sasuke's hand stills and a shiver arcs up his spine. He looks up, searching her face for anything to link her to the last person who said such a thing to him. Instead of cold calculation, he sees only earnest desire and genuine conviction. The contrast of reality against memory is jarring.

She cocks her head to one side. "Sasuke-kun? Are you alright? You're pale."

Sakura looks about ready to lean forward and check his temperature, stomach-wound be damned.

"I am pale because it is cold," he snaps, holding his hand out to keep her lying back. He ducks his head down on the pretence of studying her injury. "You should stop talking now. I need to dig the bone out, and that will be easier if you are not moving."

If she sees through his bristling, she is tactful enough not to say so.

TBC

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 _Comments and concrit are much appreciated, and very motivating! If you are interested in supporting my writing, check out my tumblr for information! ^_^_

栗


	8. Chapter Eight

They spend the next half hour in silence, focussed on her injury.

Luckily for both, the bone implement has not caught on anything, and Sasuke is able to pull it free without trouble. Blood fills in the wound at once, but it is not the wet gush of a clipped blood vessel or ruptured organ. Sakura talks him through stitching it closed. Liberal applications of her "little elfroot and deep mushroom" knit the flesh back together as he goes.

She dozes for a little while as he puts away the supplies, carefully erasing any trace of what was done here. Kakashi has sharp eyes, and even a fleck of blood might have him asking questions.

Sakura was right about one thing: they cannot afford him expending more magic than he must.

Just as he clears away the last of the soiled bandages, he hears a low, lyrical hum behind him. Slowly, he turns around and notes Sakura, eyes still closed in slumber and barely breathing even as her throat moves around the notes of a wordless song. Normally, she is as tone deaf as a mabari howling at the moon. He knows this because she tried to teach Sai, another of their companions, the words to a dwarven drinking song not long after he joined the outfit.

The memory itself makes him wince.

But this tune she hums under her breath is different. It makes the hairs on the back of his arms and neck stand on end, but not because it is unpleasant.

It is because it is _not_.

"Sakura," he says, something in his gut telling him he needs her to stop that.

Her body startles a little, the way one might when woken suddenly from a dream, but considering she never fully dropped off to sleep he doubts that it is. Still, the noise stops, and her breathing suddenly evens out.

"Something about this place…it calls to me," she tells him after a moment, eyes still closed, and face still relaxed. "It almost feels like lyrium, but…different."

"Different?" he echoes.

"Like a voice on the wind…just out of earshot, words garbled…and you know they're speaking to you, but can't for the life of you make out the meaning…" She opens her eyes and notices his concerned expression, and quickly straightens. With a sheepish grin, she says, "Sorry. I think I'm just getting ahead of myself. We're almost to the top of the mountain which means we're closer to ending this journey. I can see the end in sight, and then we get a nice long deserved rest."

"Until the next errand of overblown importance is thrust upon us," he replies, still frowning at her behaviour. He wonders if this is another one of those Warden quirks, hearing music no one else does. "And the next."

"Until we stop the Blight, that's the job," she agrees. "But still, the prospect of a moment's peace, however short, that's valuable—don't you think?"

"I would not know."

"Oh, come on! You've had to have at least _a little_ downtime!" she protests, pulling herself stiffly to her feet. He makes a move to help her, but she waves him away. "Don't the Crows give days off?"

"There is time between contracts, if that is what you are asking."

She shoots him an unimpressed look as if to say she knows he is deliberately not answering her question. "And what do you do in your _spare_ time?"

"Prepare for the next assignment."

"That's it?" she deadpans. "Seriously? Isn't there anything you do for fun?"

"No."

"That's…" Sakura sighs then. "I'm sorry."

This brings him up short, and he stares at her. He can see her finding his lifestyle distasteful or boring, but he never would have expected pity from her. "Sorry for what?"

"For whatever made your life so joyless that you spend every waking moment doing _sensible_ stuff," she tells him, offering a comforting touch just above his elbow.

 _It is not pity_ , he realises in amazement. _It sounds like_ _…_ _regret? On_ my _behalf?_

But that makes no sense to him.

He does not have time to ponder this development in his study of her character because at this moment, Naruto and Kakashi return.

"There is nothing between this village and the ruins up ahead," the mage informs them without wasting time on a greeting.

"He _means_ nothing," Naruto adds, a hint of complaint in his voice. "No people, no shelter, no supplies…"

"We checked the temple door, but it is locked by an odd mechanism. Apparently, it needs a key to get in: big, round, sort of the size of a fist?"

"That must be what the medallion is for," Sakura suggests, digging into her pocket for the disc she was given earlier.

"I thought so, too."

"Then we are going in blind," Sasuke says in irritation.

"Looks like," Naruto shrugs, before a jeering grin appears on his face. "Don't worry, elf. If you're scared, I'll let you hide behind me while I take out the nasty, possessed cultists."

"Will that be before or after you run for cover, demanding I take out the enemy trying to set you on fire?" Sasuke returns crisply.

"Oi, that happened once, and in case you didn't notice, that was a rage demon that came out of the damn floor!"

"I am confident we will manage somehow," Kakashi says, intervening before Naruto punctuates his complaint with a flying fist.

"Are you ready to go?" Sasuke asks Sakura, carefully avoiding looking anywhere near where her wound is. Still, she knows what he is really asking.

"Never better," she chirps, and grabs her supplies.

Kakashi notices something in the byplay, judging by how his eyes rove between Sasuke and Sakura, but if he suspects anything concrete, he does not address it. At least, not until Naruto has followed Sakura and is safely out of earshot.

"If you two needed a moment, you did not need to send us on an arse-freezing wild-goose chase in the mountains," the older man says dryly. "All you had to do was ask…"

"Shut up, mage," Sasuke replies. "Or I will find a better place for that stick than your hand."

"Well, if that is the sort of thing you are into…"

Sasuke snarls a wordless curse at him and stalks after the other two. He knows there is no point in stooping to Kakashi's level. Unlike Naruto, who will shout and scream and throw a few punches, and then forget the matter Sasuke does not wish to talk about, Kakashi is more patient. He will refuse to engage with any threat, but make sly, would-be-innocent comments over a matter of days. It is amusing to watch him bait others in this way—in particular Obito; it is not so entertaining when Sasuke is the one on the receiving end.

The party makes their way up the next section of the mountain together, hobbled against the wind and the incline.

 _Kakashi was not making light of the temperature for dramatic effect._

They were wrong about the place being completely empty, because even with the howling din of the wind, Sasuke can hear the distant roars of a dragon. He only hopes that they get to shelter before the thing makes a pass above this part of the mountain.

As they amble onward, Sasuke keeps a careful eye on the figure at the head of their procession. Sakura tramps through the snow with her usual determination and uncomplaining nature. He would never have known she had been gravely wounded earlier from the way she moves. It seems her healing skills and balms are far more powerful than he imagined.

Eventually, the four of them arrive at the giant, ridged stone door, and Sasuke sees the lock-seal Kakashi and Naruto mentioned.

Sakura brings out the medallion and presses it into the slot. There is a hissing noise and the ensign glows green, shooting a light into the crevices and cracks of the door. A moment later, the sound of creaking, shifting gears fills the air, and the door pulls open before them.

Sasuke enters first, bow raised in case there is anything lurking that may jump out at them, but this entry passage is empty. The walls and hallways are made of stone, covered with such a thick layer of ice that it is as if the place is built from glass. It is cold in here, too; not quite the knife-sharp frost of the mountain air, but still as frigid as a tomb.

"This will be fun," Naruto whispers excitedly as they proceed up the corridor.

Despite his game face, they are all careful in their explorations, investigating every corner of the passages in a slow, methodical manner. Sasuke leaves discreet markers in room corners and by doorposts to find their way back should this place be as cavernous as the countless elven ruins he has explored. Snow has tumbled through the walls and ceilings of the temple, casting dark shadows across the corners and making the floor more slippery than it might be under normal circumstances. At one time, this building might even have been a comfortable living space.

They slip through close passages and well-built chambers, rooms with ancient books and scrolls that have Kakashi's fingers twitching and Sakura's eyes coveting. There are at least two armouries with discarded weaponry and armour that is ancient, but well-made.

"Ooh, swords!" Naruto declares, gleefully going to check the balance and sharpness of the blades, while the others look for more useful supplies. Sasuke finds several quivers of arrows—some spelled with magic runes to bewitch their targets. He does not like magic, but in this place, using it might be necessary. He adds these to his own supply.

That turns out to be a good idea.

Entering a large, vaulted chamber that seems trapped by time and thick snow, the shadows are suddenly alive with more blade-brandishing figures. These men are not dressed like villagers, but in billowing red robes and burned bone armour.

"More cultists," Sakura murmurs, hoisting her axe.

Sasuke can see right away that they have the high ground, perched upon the grand staircases up ahead. They send down volley upon volley of arrows, interspersed with blasts of fire that suggest the presence of mages as well.

The party divides, Sasuke claiming the left side of the hall and Kakashi the right, both of them aiming to destroy the ranged fighters in the distance. Naruto and Sakura take the more direct approach, dealing with the incoming wave of close-combat attackers.

Once Sasuke and Kakashi reach the edge of the staircase, most of the archers and at least one mage are dead. Then, they climb upward together, moving around and behind one another in a slow rotation that allows them to divert any incoming projectiles.

Once, Sasuke even snatches an arrow from the air right before it pierces Kakashi's temple.

The mage repays the favour by turning a wall of icy projectiles into a spray of rain using a fireball. It is a massive blast of flame that grows larger as it travels through the air and immolates the last mage. Sasuke inclines his head in thanks.

Times may have changed, but he is not about to stoop to thanking a _mage_ of all people.

Down on the landing, Sakura and Naruto's opponents are less feeble. The hulking, bone-wielding warriors appear immune to pain, forcing Naruto and Sakura to hack away at them. Limb by limb and inch by inch until nothing but pulp and bone surround them on the floor.

Sasuke's stomach rebels a little.

There is a difference between a quick kill and this carnage.

"It is a type of fugue state," Kakashi explains once the last body drops. "They do not realise they are mortally wounded until all the nerves in their body have been severed. Dwarves have an ability like this, yes?"

Sakura shakes her head, pale. "No…not like this. Dwarven berserkers can ignore pain, yes, but that's because they're're fueled by battle rage and blood lust. They still _feel_. This…" She swallows. "This was like fighting those corpses we encountered in the Circle of Magi when we met you, Kakashi-sensei."

"Except these guys weren't walking corpses, they were actually alive," Naruto adds with a shudder. "Look, there's the blood to prove it."

" _Alive_ may not be the right word," Kakashi muses. "After the amount of brain damage, hypnosis and blood magic they have been subjected to, I doubt you could really call it living."

"Pity," Sasuke says, staring down at one of the discarded arrows broken upon the ice-encrusted stone floor. It is the broken arm bone of a child, "That would mean we are putting them out of their misery."

"Let's keep going," Sakura says, heading for the grand staircase. "We don't know how big this place is, and there could be more of them. I'd like to get rid of as many as possible be before we lose the last natural light."

There is a distant rumbling, and once again Sasuke hears the keen of a dragon. The others do as well, and Naruto shifts uncomfortably.

"Maybe after we do that we can set up camp?" he suggests. "I have this bad feeling we're not getting off the mountain without coming face to face with _that_. And I'd really rather do it with the sun overhead than stumbling around in the dark…"

It is a sentiment none of them can argue with.

TBC

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 _Comments and concrit are much appreciated, and very motivating! If you are interested in supporting my writing, check out my tumblr for information! ^_^_

栗


	9. Chapter Nine

Sakura leads them up the corpse-laden grand staircase where they soon discover another strange, carved mechanism in the door.

"Another key," Kakashi determines. "Best search the bodies."

"I doubt it will be that easy," Sasuke mutters, as Naruto and Sakura go from body to body, looking for of a key.

Kakashi studies the door, fingers hovering over the runes and symbols carved into the locking mechanism. "I can probably knock through it with the right spell. But the architecture is old, and likely strengthened by ancient wards. I would be useless for days."

"A last resort, then."

"It has to be somewhere," Sakura calls from the landing of a nearby balcony, emptying one archer's pockets of gold and herbs, but no key. "The door obviously opens from the outside, so the key can't be far."

"And we've killed everyone else on the way up the mountain," Naruto adds. "So, there's probably someone around here hiding it or who stuffed it away somewhere."

Sasuke looks around the hall, noting two hallways that branch off from the icy hall. "It will be faster if we split up."

"Faster, but not safer," Sakura reminds him.

"We are facing hypothermia and starvation, surrounded by cultists, a dragon and probable death if we even reach this urn you're so determined to find. _Safe_ was never an option."

"Geez, tell us how you really feel," Naruto snorts.

"Sasuke has a point," Kakashi agrees. "It would be faster to search for this key if we split up. But we should go in pairs, for safety."

Sakura's face suggests she still does not like the idea but cannot argue with the logic of it. Resolve enters her eyes, and she nods, visibly setting aside her own worries.

"Naruto, Sasuke, you two check the eastern passage," she decides. "Kakashi and I can take the west."

Sasuke makes a noise of agreement at her decision—both search parties have the benefit of a ranged warrior and someone strong in close-combat—but Naruto complains, "Aw, really? Why do I have to be with the pointy-eared bastard?"

"My parents were married," Sasuke retorts, already heading toward his assigned zone, "which is more than I can say for yours."

Shocked silence rings at his rejoinder, and then—

"I'm going to kill you!"

"Naruto!" Sakura snaps.

"Yeah, yeah…"

Sasuke senses Naruto hurrying to catch up, and the two set off into the eastern corridor. Light from outside filters in from cracks in the foundations and gaps in the masonry above them, but mostly there is darkness. Eventually they are forced to light the torches that line the walls, which Sasuke is not entirely comfortable doing. The scent of smoke might attract more of the madmen who lurk here, not to mention any creatures that have made this temple their home.

"So, I was thinking," Naruto begins when it's clear he tires of the quiet.

"I doubt it."

"You're so funny…"

"Not really."

He imagines the blond man glaring at him. " _Anyway_. You were an assassin in Oto, right? Professionally."

"Technically speaking, I still am."

"Technically, but not _really_. I mean, you're on this trip with us and you haven't killed any of us."

"There is still time for at least one of you."

Naruto makes an annoyed sound in his throat, and Sasuke suspects he is making a face. He refrains from snorting in amusement because a grown man pouting like a child should not be entertaining.

Silence hangs between them, which Sasuke would prefer to continue. It does not last long before Naruto lets go his grudge and speaks again.

"So, how much did you charge to kill someone?" he wants to know. "Was it expensive? Or did it depend on who they were?"

"Thinking of having someone murdered?" Sasuke asks as he pokes his head into a small supply room.

"What? No! I just…it's kind of strange to me that you can make a living killing people," Naruto muses. "Or that you would need an entire guild to handle so many…jobs."

Sasuke reflects on this, supposing he could understand that. Sometimes the people of Konoha are childlike in their naivety. "Life is cheap in Oto. Assassination is not."

"So, when you accepted the contract on us, how much were you going to get paid?"

"Five thousand ryō."

"Is that a lot?"

"Not really, no."

Naruto makes an incredulous noise. "Then why do it?"

"You realise all this talking is giving away our position?" Sasuke retorts, scowling at the questions. His reasons are his own, and he has no intention of sharing them with the likes of Naruto. "It will not please the dwarf if she finds out I allowed the future king of Konoha to get killed by his own stupidity. Therefore, do us both a favour, and shut up."

"Who says that's not my genius plan?" Naruto retorts. "If we draw 'em out, then we can get rid of them faster and get back to searching for that key-thing in peace."

Sasuke sighs in exasperation, partially because in terms of plans at this juncture, it is not actually bad.

They turn a corridor and enter a caved-in section where stonework suddenly takes a downturn, leading into an underground tunnel. He and Naruto exchange incredulous expressions and then nods of agreement—no sense in going back yet—and then carefully clamber down into the chamber.

"I wonder what the odds are of these tunnels letting out at the top of the mountain," Naruto muses, holding up the torch he brought from the upper corridor.

"Slim to none," Sasuke replies. "Perhaps if it had been built by dwarves, but these ruins are Ancient Imperial. Humans are not so practical."

"You sound like Sakura," Naruto sniggers as they navigate through the rest of the tunnel beneath the upper hallway. "And here I thought you'd be out of your element underground. I mean, it's different from what you're used to, right? Elves don't hang out underground, right?"

"No," Sasuke replies curtly. "Not by choice."

He doesn't mention his own time as a slave in Oto, kept in a dank, underground prison until he was sold into service with the Crows. For a child to go from the outdoor wilds of Dalish life, to not seeing sunlight for three years, there is a certain amount of post-trauma to be expected. The only way he had of coping with that was learning everything he could about the place where he was trapped, so it could never happen again.

"I have another question."

"Of course you do," Sasuke sighs, but he allows it because it distracts him from memories he would rather forget.

"When you joined us, you said you'd stay with us to get away from the Crows because they'd kill you for _not_ killing _us_. So, when this is over, what are you going to do? Go back to them?"

"Perhaps."

"What do you mean _perhaps_? If you go back, you'll get dead!"

"What business of it is yours?"

"Well, you sort of said it before. I'll be king. Maybe. And I don't like the idea of sending my friends off to get killed. I'm sure we could find something for you to do here instead of going back."

"Who said we were friends?" Sasuke retorts, and this finally seems to have the desired effect, because Naruto stops talking.

It does not stop Sasuke thinking about it, however.

When he first joined Sakura and Naruto's outfit and their quest to end the Blight, it was meant to be temporary. A time to reflect on his next move and his own purposes. Having failed in his assassination of the Wardens, he could return to the guild and destroy the contract on his life for his failure. It would be a temporary measure—someone, somewhere will create another one, but he has been avoiding attempts on his person since he was apprenticed to the Crows. It is a life he is used to.

There is also the option of taking on an even more high-profile assassination. If it does not void the contract on his life, it would at least offer him a measure of legal protection. He has heard whispers in Oto that there are politicians who are not very keen on Konoha's current leader, General Shimura. His death would not only save Sasuke's life but clear the way for Naruto to lead the country. It would also allow Wardens from the rest of the continent to help Sakura stop the Blight.

Or…perhaps he might not return to Oto and the Crows. He has exhausted his resources and contacts there trying to find Itachi, and Konoha is large enough to need a thorough search. An argument _could_ be made for staying, if…

 _'If' nothing._ That _is a hardly a reason_ , he tells himself, suppressing a wayward inkling before it even becomes a thought.

The tunnels are littered with pieces of fallen stone and debris, requiring them both to climb over obstructions. Occasionally they discover crates or barrels, which they dutifully rifle through in search of the key. Sometimes they find a few items of value, which could be sold once they return to civilisation, but mostly it is spoiled food or other rotted goods.

Several doors in, the tunnel lead to closets cluttered with furniture and spiderwebs that look too big to be allowed. Others lead to skeleton-filled rooms showing their former inhabitants died messy, violent deaths.

"At least there are no more kids here," Naruto says darkly, frowning down at the dust-covered bones.

"At some point they would have run out," Sasuke agrees, grim.

Eventually they reach an incline of large rocks and debris and climb up, light returning as they do so. Sasuke exhales, some of his claustrophobia ebbing away, but that relief is short-lived.

As soon as they turn the next corner, they find themselves face to face with a hulking, horned beast the size of a horse. The mean-eyed creature charges them the minute they see it.

"What the hell is that?" Naruto demands as they both dodge to one side.

"You can ask after we kill it!" Sasuke growls, scrambling to his feet as the creature turns and attacks them again.

Naruto unsheathes his sword, while Sasuke brings up his bow, preparing to attack.

The beast's hide is too thick for Sasuke's arrows to penetrate, and only Naruto hacking away at it with his sword does any damage. When the other man begins to wane, Sasuke tries to distract the beast, aiming for its eyes. The ridge above and below its brow make it impossible for his arrows to penetrate but he distracts it long enough for Naruto to recover himself and take another run forward.

This pattern continues for a time, the blighted creature not tiring at all, until Naruto gets the bright idea to dive between its legs. Risking giant feet trampling him into a paste, he shoves his sword up through the fleshy, unguarded part of the creature.

It gives an agonised, wrenching wail as its entrails and blood spill all over Naruto and the ground. As it staggers around in its death throes, Sasuke darts forward and yanks the human out from under it before he is crushed by the beast's weight.

"Heh. That was fun," Naruto says, using the back of his wrist to wipe the blood from his face.

"It would have been less fun if you had been trampled to death," Sasuke points out, though he privately admits it was a brave gamble. "Are you not supposed to _not_ die? Since you are supposed to become king of this mediocre little kingdom?"

"Konoha is _not_ mediocre!"

"Well, it smells like wet dog and cabbage," Sasuke returns, and then wrinkles his nose. "Which is more than I can say for you. You realise we now have to travel with your stench."

"Oh, I'm _so_ sorry that my saving your life offends your delicate elf nose. If I cut it off, you won't be so bothered! See how Sakura likes you when you're all ugly and noseless!"

"Idiot," Sasuke grumbles and continues onward. "You have no idea what you are talking about…"

"Hah! That's what _you_ think," his companion jeers. "But I'm not as stunned as everyone thinks. I see the way you two look at each other, all _moon-eyed_."

Sasuke splutters. "I am not—! That is _not_ a word!"

"Not that I can blame you, because she's kind of awesome. You might be a cranky asshole, but at least you have good taste," Naruto goes on, wandering unconcernedly ahead of Sasuke. "Which is surprising. Not as surprising as her, though. She's usually so good at making decisions, I sort of expected her to have better taste than _you_."

Sasuke grinds his teeth at the retreating back of the former Templar. "If you do not cease your nonsense, I will kill you for free and tell the others it was a cultist."

"See? This is what I'm talking about…"

"The talking is what is problematic."

"You're just pissed because it's true."

Somehow, against his better judgement, Sasuke is drawn into bickering with Naruto like a child as they continue the rest of the way.

TBC

* * *

 _No Naruto fic, even if it's SasuSaku, is complete without a mention of the NaruSasu bromance, and even in an AU I want to see more of the genin-era squabbling. So, enjoy :P_

 _Comments and concrit are much appreciated, and very motivating! If you are interested in supporting my writing, check out my tumblr for information! ^_^_

栗


	10. Chapter Ten

By some miracle, Sasuke does not give in to temptation and shoot Naruto in the back as they wander, which is just as well. After another turn of the corner, they end up walking into a larger chamber with two new paths. One leads down a set of stairs while the other—

"You two realise that sound carries around here, right?" Kakashi muses as he and Sakura materialise in the hallway opposite them. "We have been listening to you two griping at each other for at least ten minutes."

Sasuke scowls.

"Aw, come on! You mean this place meets back around again in the middle?" Naruto complains.

"Looks like," Sakura says, glancing at the new hallway that branches downward. "I guess this passage leads to another lower level, and the grand door we're trying to open will bring us to the mountain." Her eyes rove over Naruto. "What _happened_ to you? Looks like you went three rounds with an ogre."

"Something like that. It was _awesome,_ Sakura, you should have seen it!" Naruto boasts. "There was this thing, sort of like a…hm, a druffalo but a lot meaner, and with horns and scales and—"

"Sounds like a bronto," Sakura says, giving Naruto an admiring look. "We used them to move heavy loads back home. They can be gentle, but the Carta and the nobles bred them to be savages. They'll trample any stranger they encounter, so you two are lucky to be alive."

Naruto rubs his nose. "Well, I'm that impressive."

"You still reek," Sasuke interjects. "Did you two find anything in your search?"

"Sort of," Sakura suggests, holding up a faded, ripped piece of vellum. "We found a storage room with a lot of useless junk, but I nicked this off a skeleton. Based on where we've been, looks to be a map, and I think this—" She indicates a square-shape, "—might be an armoury or vault. Maybe barracks? I bet we'll find something more useful soon."

"And if not?"

"If not, we go back to that door, I open it, and you three go on," Kakashi says.

"We'll find something," Sakura insists, and the others know better than to argue with her.

Their group reunited once more, they descend the stone staircase and meander through more underground passages and rooms.

Sakura was not wrong about there being all manner of items down here. Satchels of rations and healing herbs, as well as a plethora of keys which appear to open every door but the one they need. It is an exercise in frustration that has even Sakura's optimistic demeanour wavering.

Then come the rooms with the traps.

Flames shoot up at them through pressure panels in the floor, and tripwires send projectiles flying at them. Twice Kakashi must yank Naruto back from iron vices hidden beneath false debris, which snap shut with the force to break bone. Sakura also nearly ends up prey to a sleeping poison before Sasuke pulls her out of the way, catching her around the shoulders when she wavers.

Their eyes seek each other out, and she telegraphs a silent thanks to him before he releases her.

It is slow going after that, as between Sakura and Kakashi they try to decide how to navigate or disarm the blighted traps. There is no opportunity to rest once they escape that chamber, because almost the moment they enter the next corridor, they are assaulted by more cultists. Wave upon wave hurry forward to deal with the interlopers, forcing the small outfit to pause in their progression and deal with them. They barely have time to recover before another drove arrives.

Every new corridor brings more of the same until Sasuke wonders if they might not be fighting the unkillable dead. It is a monotonous, exhausting pattern: enter a new hallway or chamber, give a cursory examination that no one has mortal wounds, and prepare to fight the next wave of cultists.

Hours go by like that.

And then there's the drake.

A swooping scaled dragonkin monstrosity that attacks them from above the minute they enter the chamber Sakura pointed out on her map. The creature cannot fly like a female dragon can, but still leaps over great distances and scales the walls with its tensile claws. Blasts of fire bathe them from all directions.

Like the bronto, this animal's hide also appears resistant to forged blades. The party of four is forced to whittle away at it hoping something will eventually penetrate its hide.

Sakura was right about needing Kakashi to save his strength because the beast nearly kills them all. Right when all of them seem about to collapse from exhaustion and the shredding wounds from the creature's claws, the mage casts a revitalising spell to recoup their strength. He staggers to his knees, ashen-faced, but the other three can now battle the beast with renewed vigour. Despite his spell taking so much out of him, Kakashi continues to set a barrage of hexes and curses upon the beast.

Sasuke knows that he will continue to fight until he drops dead.

It is a joint effort that kills it: Kakashi's magic, Sasuke blinding it with his arrows, and Naruto drawing its attention by facing it head-on. Sakura deals the final blow from behind, vaulting aboard its back and using her considerable strength to snap its neck.

When the beast lies dead at their feet, Sasuke notices something trapped beneath one of the larger scales behind its head. It takes a bit of wheedling, but eventually he pulls out a round, hexagonal bit of iron.

"That looks like the lock on the door," Sakura says in surprise when he hands it to her.

"They hid it on the _drake_?" Naruto demands. "These people really _are_ insane!"

"I do not envy the man who had to put this here to begin with," Kakashi wheezes. "Even a mage would have trouble with that."

"Whatever the circumstance for it being here, we can get out of this place now," Sasuke points out. "Let us go."

Sakura tilts her head to one side, considering him and then glancing at Kakashi. There is a frown tugging at her lips—her calculating face—before she decides.

"According to the map, there are no other passages leading here, and this place is well-fortified. Since we've already taken care of everything that could attack us, I think we should stop and rest," Sakura says. "Whatever waits beyond us may not know we're here. But once we go through the door in the large hall, we'll have more challenges to face. And I have a bad feeling there won't be any more chances to rest."

Naruto looks grim, and nods. Apparently, he feels the same unnameable suspicion. Sasuke suspects this is more of the Warden curse they share.

"Normally I would argue we don't have the time," Kakashi says. "But…I think I will need a moment. Or several."

"So, it's settled," Naruto says. "We take a break—and _then_ we go kick more ass."

It is not what Sasuke might have chosen, but he cannot argue with the need for respite. His skin burns and his muscles ache from their exertions that day. If they are to make the rest of the journey up the mountain in the damned snow, he needs to be able to walk.

Kakashi goes to the edge of the room as far as possible from them but still within the wards. He has explained before, that to centre himself, he cannot be influenced by any of their energy. Sitting cross-legged, he puts himself into a deep trance, meant to help him restore his magic. Naruto, in the meantime, catches an hour or two of sleep. Sakura busies herself with sharpening her axe, trying to mend the dents in it from their encounter with the drake. Every so often she will wince and check her side—the one that Sasuke treated—before going back to work.

After the third instance of this, Sasuke goes to sit beside her.

"You should get some sleep, too," he says, lest Naruto or Kakashi be eavesdropping, but his chin juts toward the place where her hand rests.

"No, I'm fine," she replies, answering both his suggestion and unspoken question. "Besides, I found something while Kakashi and I scouted that other tunnel earlier. It will help _much_ more than sleep."

She holds up a pewter flask. Based on the grin on her face, he can guess what the contents.

"Is that really the best idea right now?" he wonders. "We are already on a quest that makes me question your judgement. I do not think alcohol would be an added benefit."

" _Please_ ," she scoffs. "You think _this_ is enough to get your drunk?" Her eyes flick over him judgementally. "Well, maybe it _would_ knock an elf on his ass."

He scowls at her and snatches the flash from her, flipping open the top. He has had enough taunting from Naruto today, he refuses to take it from her too.

"I wouldn't—" she begins, but he has already taken a huge gulp.

And promptly grips his throat in agony.

" _Fenedhis_!" he chokes, tossing the flask away. She catches it before it hits the ground. "What foul creature defecated into this poison?"

Sakura sniggers and takes a sip without even a grimace. "Dwarven ale. If it doesn't kill you…you'll wish it did."

" _Why_ would you _drink_ that?" he spits, digging through his pack for a water skin or noxious herb to take away the taste. "You would be better served throwing it at an enemy and hoping it melts his face off."

"It's not so bad after the first sip. After that, all the nerves in your throat are too numb to notice."

She takes another sip, only a slight twitch betraying the effect of the alcohol on her. Then she passes it back to him. Sasuke hesitates a moment before accepting and taking the second swig.

It still tastes the way he imagines burning _halla_ droppings and sylvan blood might taste, but she was right about it being less painful this time. There is a distinct lack of feeling in his throat this time. Luckily, her promise of the other thing is also correct: warmth spreads down his oesophagus to his gut and then beyond.

At his noise of surprise, she grins, and then the expression morphs into something gentler. Sasuke finds his own mouth pulling into an unfamiliar upward direction, and for some reason this makes her eyes sparkle. Her cheeks turn rosy and she quickly looks away, reaching for the flask again.

Over the next hour, time stretches between them as they sit in a companionable, comfortable silence. Somewhere in the midst of it, he forgets that they are in a frozen mountain, surrounded by blood-crazed lunatics, ancient beasts and whatever else lies ahead. Hands linger on each other as they pass the flask back and forth, and when she makes a particularly bad joke, he groans with something between amusement and disgust. His shoulders, so used to bearing the weight of his past, seem less burdened just then, and though he knows it is a false reprieve, he does not mind.

Still, the next time she passes him the ale, he shakes his head. "No. Any more, and neither of us will be battle ready."

"Speak for yourself! It's colder than an apostate's tit in here, even if we're out of the wind. We'll burn off the booze in no-time just trying to keep warm." A mischievous look enters her eyes then, tinged with something darker as she leans forward. "Of course, there are _better_ ways of getting warm."

The air between them is heavy with implication. Perhaps the alcohol is affecting him more than expected, because he replies slyly, "I should have known a dwarf would be an exhibitionist."

She blinks in confusion.

"Exi…? _Oh!"_ Sakura goes red and looks away from him, abruptly embarrassed and shy. "I'm not. At least I don't _think_ I am, I've never…" Her gaze flicks back to their resting companions and then her back stiffens. She casts her eyes about their surroundings as if she too has forgotten where they are sitting. When her gaze lands on him again, she offers a tight smile. "I guess you have a point. I suppose it's too much to hope this place has a room with a plush bed and a roaring fire?"

She offers it to him as a lighthearted, flirtatious joke, but there is a false note in it. He knows that whatever spell settled over them before is broken now. He is more disappointed than he expected to be but understands the necessity of maintaining boundaries. Now is not the time for…ill-advised liaisons.

Whatever arguments certain parts of his anatomy would like to make to the contrary.

"We should save some of this for Naruto and Kakashi," she goes on, "if only to see their faces after that first sip."

Her eyes crinkle as she watches the other two. There is a fondness there, soft and protective, and far beyond how a person looks at mere travel companions.

"You care for them," he says, and does not understand the stiffness in his voice.

"I do. We're friends."

"No. It is beyond that," he says, trying to think of a way to articulate properly. "You love them in a way that is beyond friendship."

And what is that needling, sour sensation he gets in his gut at that notion?

Sakura does not even bother thinking about it. "They're also my family."

"You have not known them long," he points out.

"That doesn't make it any less true. They were both at Kannabi Bridge," she explains. "Kakashi looked out for me while I was wandering around the camp. I was this silly little dwarf who'd never seen the sky before, trying not to get trampled by all the cloud-heads at the camp. And Naruto was there when I woke up after…after becoming a Warden." She clenches her fist at the memory here. "They saved my life. They lived the same betrayal in battle as I did. And neither of them has family left, either. I guess…I guess we sort of adopted each other."

He frowns at this.

"And you're part of it, too, you know," she goes on, making him look up sharply. "We'd be your family, if you let us."

There is an earnestness in her words, and he knows she is being truthful. She, and the others in their outfit, would accept him without question if he wanted it.

There is something in this moment which hangs, heavy and expectant. He finds that, inexplicably, a part of him wants to confront it.

 _Damned alcohol_ , he tells himself.

But gazing into Sakura's earnest eyes, he knows that he is lying to himself.

And in that moment, Sasuke chooses to go another avenue.

TBC

* * *

Translations:

 _Fenedhis –_ a common curse word; literal translation is something like 'wolf cock', but used in this sense it's similar to 'fuck' or 'goddamn'

 _Sylvan_ – giant, walking trees which frequent forests near the elves

* * *

 _Comments and concrit are much appreciated, and very motivating! If you are interested in supporting my writing, check out my tumblr page for more information_

栗


	11. Chapter Eleven

Author's Note: Inspiration for this scene drawn from Dragon Age: Origins cinematic trailer. Recognisable dialogue comes from Dragon Age Origins.

* * *

"There _is_ a reason I agreed to travel with you and the idiot," Sasuke admits, watching her reaction.

"I thought so," Sakura says, tone soft. No doubt she recognised long ago that if he wanted to leave them, he could have done so with ease. That she never asked him his reasons suggests she wanted to hear them from him.

He deliberates a further minute, wondering where to begin, and decides on the facts.

"Travelling with two Grey Wardens opens doors," he tells her. "I could not have entered the Circle of Magi otherwise."

"People aren't keen on the Dalish anywhere, but that's one of the harder places to get into," she agrees. "And Iwa isn't fond of outsiders either. It wasn't until I mentioned having the Warden treaties that you seemed keen on staying."

"Hm."

"You're looking for something," she determines. "Or someone."

There is a pause where they study one another, both waiting for the other to speak first. Though her face suggests innocent interest, she won't ask.

"I have a brother," he confesses at last.

It's been so long since he said those words out loud that they taste foreign on his tongue.

Surprise crosses Sakura's face, along with curiosity, but she doesn't interrupt. It's as if she senses the precariousness of this truth, perhaps even the gravity in it, but won't push him to speak of it unless he wishes it. Sasuke intends to leave the matter alone, but the unexpected relief he experiences at his own confession is disorienting.

To deceive her, even through omission, feels wrong.

"I will find him and kill him."

He can see she was not expecting this, but to her credit the only shock she displays is the infinitesimal widening of her eyes. He waits for judgement to replace curiosity, or even disgust, but the only change he detects is concern.

"Why?" she asks.

Sasuke takes a deep breath through his nose, willing his voice to stay even.

"He massacred my entire clan," he explains. "Not only did he take them from me, he spilled elven blood. We are a rare and diminishing people, and to cut short our lives, in particular amongst our own, is the greatest sin of our kind. He has to pay for it."

"By…spilling more blood?"

Her question is uncertain, as if she is trying to understand the logic for this and seek something beyond simple, petty revenge. Most people would accept such a premise without question, but she is always so damned determined to see beyond the veneer facades of her comrades.

He finds he doesn't want her to see him only as an avenger.

"Itachi is no longer considered _Elvhen_ ," Sasuke says. "He is cursed. His continued existence poisons the world around it and everyone he comes in contact with. I have a duty to my family, and to my people, to avenge our loss and remove his stain. Only then can my clan be at peace in the Beyond."

Sakura is quiet at this, thoughtful.

"If this is so important to you…why haven't you asked us to look for him while we travel?" she asks delicatly. "If stopping him is as important as you say, nine pairs of eyes are better than only one?"

Sasuke's jaw clenches, as she hits upon the conundrum he has been wrestling with for weeks. He could lie about it, pretend to be noble and that personal revenge doesn't matter in the face of the disaster she and her Wardens are trying to overcome. He knows she would pretend to believe it even if she didn't.

But if there's anything he's learned in his life, it's that there's no way to overcome a weakness without acknowledging it.

"I am…not yet strong enough to kill him," he admits grudgingly. "But in helping you end this Blight and facing this insurmountable task ahead of you, I can become strong enough."

"I think killing a bunch of darkspawn and killing your own brother are two very different matters. One is much harder than the other."

"Hm."

He can't argue with that.

"Did you…did you ever ask him why?" she ventures after a pause.

"No," he replies, curt. "He used magic to trap me in an illusion for days, leaving me as prey for demons in the Fade. I was lucky another clan found me, and their Keeper freed me."

Sakura swears. "No wonder you don't like mages."

He nods once, uncomfortable admitting such a vulnerability.

He doesn't want to talk about this anymore. At the same time, he doesn't want to turn his back on her and return to silence, and so he asks instead, "Do you have any siblings?"

It's the first time he's outright asked her a personal question of his own volition and not to analyse something she has volunteered. She seems startled by this, and replies, "No…just my parents. Assuming they're still live."

She speaks the last bit in a somewhat quieter tone, and her shoulders hunch a little in sadness.

Sasuke regrets his question. "You need not say more."

"No, it's…it's nice to think about them," she assures him. "I miss them, but they're with me wherever I go. They're the reason I'm still alive. My mother taught me the skills I needed to survive on my own, and my father taught me to fight." She nods to her axe. "He taught me to be strong. And he was the strongest person I knew. He gave up everything to be with my mother. Even though she couldn't give him a son and he'd lose his position in the caste…"

"There are few who would sacrifice their own comforts for such a reason," Sasuke remarks.

"Yeah." She smiles, wistful, and then shakes her head. A serious look comes into her eye. "If you don't mind me asking…what were your parents like?"

The question is one which has caused him anger and defensiveness in the past, a quick dismissal and need to occupy himself with other things.

But this time, as he considers his answer, he comes to a horrible realisation.

"I don't remember," he confesses, throat tight.

Sympathy suffuses her expression, before morphing into determination. She inches over to sit closer to him and reaches for his hand. For reasons he can't explain, he doesn't pull away, but allows her to thread her fingers between his. Instead of empty words, she squeezes his hand; he grips it back and doesn't speak anymore after that.

Several hours pass, before Sakura pulls away, murmuring about getting ready to leave again. Sasuke nods and gathers his gear. He toes Naruto awake as he passes, and at the other side of the cave, Kakashi relaxes, going from unnatural stone stillness to animated once more.

It's a quick matter to gather the rest of their things, and though Sasuke isn't as rested as he could be, it's better than nothing. His muscles still ache, but it's bearable, and he knows he won't notice it once they're outside again and facing the cold.

The trek back to the large, ornate door in the hallway is easier than before, with no cultists left to challenge their progression. Sakura fits the key into the lock, and after confirming that the others are ready to venture out, twists it into place.

Once again, ancient gears turn and iron hinges grind against the stone. The dimly lit hall is bathed in brilliant white light that makes Sasuke's eyes water, as the snowy mountain top materialises before them once more. Far ahead, only an outline within the shroud of cloud-cover, he sees the final cavern. Though almost hidden by dark rocks and snowdrifts it's clear that's where they must go next.

And it's fucking snowing again.

The habitual trudge upward begins, and before long Sasuke's toes pinch with cold and his clothes sag with heavy snow. He tells himself that it's just a little farther, and as long as they don't stop he can endure it—

His ear flicks as it senses an out-of-place sound. Beside him, Sakura notices him freeze, and comes to an abrupt halt. She raises one hand in warning, the other bracing against her forehead as if it will help her see better in the blowing snow.

Sasuke only catches it in time to snap, "Sakura!" when an axe flies out of the fog, forcing them all to dodge.

Before any of them can recover, a dark shape materialises in its wake. A shout echoes across the swirling snow: "For Lady Kaguya!"

"More cultists!" Sakura cries, hauling her axe up as the man in red robes swings a sword at her. She deflects with her shield, and as he recovers, charges forward, using the shield and his forward motion to leverage him over her head. As he falls, Naruto brings his sword down to behead him.

Sakura slides forward, into the range of the next man coming after her, throwing him aside as well. One of Sasuke's daggers pierces his neck, and when a third comes at her they lock axes before she headbutts him, knocking him back with her shield.

"More incoming!" she yells, shoving the top of her axe into the face of another cultist.

"Already on it!"

Kakashi braces himself, hauls back his staff and a giant rock explodes from thin air, barrelling past his companions and into the line of oncoming cultists. Confused and unable to disengage from each other, they are shoved over the cliffside by the invisible force of Kakashi's magic.

Sasuke darts forward then with the rest of his companions as the snow clears, revealing a dreary, flat outcropping in the side of the mountain. Jagged rock structures jut out of the ice, offering paltry cover as fire explodes from above them.

"Another Void-damned mage," Naruto complains, as more cultists approach. Sasuke shifts to peek around his stone shield, noting another red-robed lunatic with a staff.

"Sasuke?" Sakura's voice is neither question nor command, but he nods.

With a growl, he darts forward, drawing daggers as he dives between two oncoming cultists. Before they can turn on him he tucks into a roll, slicing the blades across their bellies as he goes. The scent of blood and viscera fill the frosted air as he keeps running, dropping the daggers and drawing his bow from his side. He continues his fleetfooted advance, shooting one cultist several feet away. As the woman staggers to the ground, Sasuke jumps and uses her body as a stepping stone to achieve lift. After flipping into the air, he lands on another stone outcropping that gives him the higher ground.

" _Dirthara-ma_ ," he hisses as he draws his bow, aiming it upward before letting the arrow fly. It's one of the enchanted projectiles he found earlier, and it soars much farther than a regular shaft wood, ramming into the mage's eye with a squelching _thunk_.

Sakura and Kakashi are back to back now, the mage using his staff as both a cudgel and a way to channel his magic. Bursts of flame and ice engulf the enemy at random intervals, while Sakura swings her axe out, cutting across unguarded limbs or lopping heads from shoulders.

Kakashi ducks one cultist that comes at him, hooks him around the neck with his elbow and then presses his hand to his head. A blistering, bloody symbol burns into his skin. The cultist screams in pain, cradling his face as he staggers towards his brethren, before going rigid. Before his comrades even know what's happened, he has exploded into a mess of blood and bone that rips through the other cultists.

"Okay, so I might be a little uncomfortable around mages now too," Sakura mutters, twisting a remaining cultist's head to one side until it cracks.

"That was disgusting," Sasuke informs Kakashi.

"But effective," the mage replies, brushing what appears to be bits of skull off his mask.

"Looks like that's all of them," Naruto calls out from several yards away. "I think we can—"

An ear-splitting, piercing screech fills the air and a giant shadow darkens the painful brightness of the day. Something moves overhead, stopping the snow from falling on them as thunderous bursts of air echo around them.

The rush of impending heat is the only warning they get. The four of them scatter in time, skidding to one side as a voluminous burst of flame expands across the space where they all just stood.

Up above, the dragon howls as though in victory as it swoops past, veering to one side as it turns to swoop back down at them.

"You had to open your blighted mouth, didn't you?" Sasuke growls at the human.

"It's not my fault!" Naruto protests.

TBC

* * *

 _Translations:_

 _Elvhen – elves;_ "our people"

 _Dirthara-ma_ – "may you learn"; used as a curse

 _Fade_ – a metaphysical realm separated by the waking world by the Veil; a place of spirits; most races except dwarves visit it in their dreams

* * *

 _Comments and concrit are much appreciated, and very motivating! If you are interested in supporting my writing, check out my tumblr page for more information_

栗


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Author's Note:** Inspiration for this scene drawn from _Dragon Age: Origins_ cinematic trailer. Recognisable dialogue comes from _Dragon Age Origins._

* * *

"When that thing comes at us, I'll try to draw it to me," Sakura commands, staring down the incoming beast. "You guys take it out with everything you can."

Naruto grunts in acquiescence while Sasuke and Kakashi dart out in opposite directions.

The only one left out in the open, Sakura proves to be the most tempting target. The dragon hits the ground in front of her with an earth-shaking impact. Sakura yells, beating the back of her axe against her shield to keep the beast's attention. Sasuke wonders if she presented as fierce a figure in the arena of her Proving Grounds.

One tiny woman facing certain death with flashing green eyes and a smirk on her face.

Silently, he thanks those foolish _durgen'len_ for casting her out of their stone city, or else he would not have the privilege of battling a high dragon with her.

The dwarf and the beast face off, slowly circling each other; although it towers over her, the dragon senses the threat Sakura poses to it. As Sasuke clambers to the tip of one of the nearby outcroppings, he wonders who will be the first to blink.

It ends up being the dragon, whose snout juts forward, snapping jaws at Sakura, who spins and dodges. From her belt, she yanks out one of her smaller war-axes and lobs it straight at the beast's snout. It avoids the projectile, ducking, but Sakura takes this opportunity of distraction to charge.

 _What the hell is she doing?!_

The dragon hisses, spewing a spiral of flames in her direction, but she dives beneath the burst of fire, a hair-width away from immolation. She scrambles to her feet behind it with her giant axe at the ready. Now within the dragon's range, she swings upward at its belly, intending to breach the soft flesh there. The beast avoids her by swiping forward with its clawed arm, sending Sakura sprawling several yards away and her axe in the opposite direction.

The dragon rears its head back, preparing to once more shower Sakura with its flaming breath.

Sasuke lets loose a torrent of exploding arrows. His projectiles are more precise than Kakashi's wild volleys of mana, hitting the beast in its snout and just below its eye. It roars in pain and frustration, tail whipping around to knock Sasuke and his arrows away, but he jumps from his perch before he can fall.

Sasuke lands as the snow settles, hitting the ground running and continuing to fire arrow after arrow. The dragon's frustration at last outweighs its fixation with Sakura, because it shrieks and takes off after Sasuke, plodding toward him. Sasuke is careful to keep running, maintaining a precise parallel distance, firing arrows all while avoiding the snapping jaws. From the other side of the mountain passages, Kakashi lobs blasts of ice at the beast, adding to the distraction. Then Sakura is back, grabbing hold of its tail and holding tight, even as it swings around and tries to dislodge her. It loops around, snapping at her where she clutches at its scales, and then—the insane woman—seems to swing a punch at it.

 _"Sakura!"_ Sasuke shouts, as the creature opens its jaws wide, but the words are lost in a louder burst of sound. Blue light explodes within the creature's throat, and it rears back with a grating, choking gasp. Sakura tumbles to the floor in front of it as ice crystals form in the corners of its mouth and nostrils. It scrabbles at its muzzle.

She tosses a look at Sasuke over her shoulder.

"Freeze Bomb!" she calls, a devilish grin on her lips. "No more fire!"

 _She is a madwoman._

Naruto reappears then, dashing toward the unobservant creature and using another outcropping to dive at it through the air. As he lands, he stabs his sword into its side. The gravity pulls him downward, dragging the blade through the muscle and bone of its right shoulder, down to its ribs.

The dragon's bellow this time is one of agony.

In the distance, Kakashi draws his hands together, forming a chirping, hissing ball of lightning, and pitches it forward into the gaping maw of the dragon.

The beast's roar cuts off as if its throat were just cut, and it jerks as electricity zips through its body. Shuddering, it rears back, clawing at the sky in a fit of desperation, trying to beat its wings, before staggering backward and keeling over onto the frozen ground.

Sakura steps over to the bleeding, twitching body, once more twirling her axe to hand, before bringing the heavy blade downward. The beast's neck is thick, but the axe goes almost three-quarters of the way through it. Blood from the death blow sprays across the Warden's face and armour, as in the distance Kakashi and Naruto make quick work of any cultists who yet live.

Sasuke stares at Sakura, his mouth oddly dry as he takes in the fierce and intimidating sight before him.

 _Who else would be fool enough to charge a dragon? Twice._

His smallclothes seem a lot tighter, and this time he cannot deny the shot of arousal that settles over him.

 _Shit_.

Sakura's eyes snap toward his own and he realises he spoke out loud. Thank the gods his armour covers the evidence!

Hoping to deflect any awkward conversation, he clears his throat.

"Alright," he hedges. "You have a certain technique."

Her battle-hardened expression fades into her usual cheer and she grins. "You've only just decided that now?"

There are bruises coming out over her left eye and the dragon's blood stains her teeth, and Sasuke decides she has never looked more beautiful.

Panic hits him: it is one thing to be admiring of someone's prowess in battle, but their _appearance_?

"It is a simple observation," he sniffs. "I am just saying you could be worse. You could be Naruto."

"Oi!" the simpleton snaps from several yards away, where he and Kakashi are stripping the cultist bodies for any useful materials. "I heard that, you knife-eared prick!"

Sakura laughs though.

"Careful, Sasuke-kun. Keep talking like that, and I'll be expecting a marriage proposal."

His ears and neck burn, and he scowls at her. "You are getting ahead of yourself."

"Oh, don't worry. Marriage is the _last_ thing on my mind right now."

"…Good."

"The _other_ thing, though," she continues as she wanders away, cleaning her blade, "I wouldn't say 'no' to."

Sasuke blinks. "What does that mean?"

But she is already gone, checking to see if Kakashi has not exhausted himself yet. Sasuke watches her go, frustration at her response eating at him in more ways than one.

"What are your intentions with her?"

It is a measure of how distracted he is that he does not notice Naruto's usual clomping approach. Though his question was not asked loud enough for anyone but Sasuke to hear, the human does not bother disguising the suspicious glare he levels at him.

"What?"

"Don't act stupid. You know what I'm talking about."

Sasuke narrows his eyes in response, intending to show he is unfazed by the other man's intimidation technique.

Naruto raises hands in mock surrender. "I'm _just_ asking what your intentions are. Don't get ready to stick a knife in my back just yet. You _were_ hired to kill us, remember?"

"And now I owe her a blood debt since she spared my life," Sasuke grumbles, turning to walk away.

"And that's it?" Naruto presses, hurrying after him.

Sasuke refuses to answer him and they both watch as Sakura digs into her supply pouch and offers Kakashi one of their precious few lyrium potions to bolster his magic. When he tries to refuse, she wags a finger at him in a gesture Sasuke recognises as scolding. Kakashi's shoulders sag, a sign of defeat, and he accepts the potion.

Sakura nods in triumph and Sasuke smirks at the sight before he can stop himself. When she turns back to him and Naruto, though, he quickly arranges his face into careful blankness.

"Are you two coming?" she shouts. "We didn't climb this damn mountain just to fight a dragon!"

"On my way!" Naruto calls back. But when she's no longer facing them, he says to Sasuke out of the corner of his mouth, "Be good to her. Break her heart, and I'll kill you."

" _Tch_. As if you could."

"Try me on this one."

There is no trace of humour or falsehood in his words. Sasuke has the presentment that the other Warden is being more serious than ever. He has seen Naruto go after his enemies, it would be a challenge if they were no longer allies.

He finds he does not care for the idea.

Rather than mention this, or add credence to the human's foolish notions, Sasuke nods once. This must be enough because Naruto leaves him alone.

The four of them restart their path upward, continuing the gruelling trek up the last stretch of the mountain.

At long last, they enter the final stop on their journey, one hewn into the peak of the mountain. Mercifully, there is only the one staircase to climb once they are out of the cold, and it leads into a single vaulted chamber lit by torchlight. In the centre of the room, a figure stands tall, clad in ancient imperial armour. Sasuke is wary, but when the apparition shows no sign of attacking, he relaxes.

Somewhat.

"I bid you welcome, pilgrims," the man—or ghost?—intones.

His visage is that of a young man, unshaven and round cheeked, but his eyes shine with the crawl of ages. There is an eerie sheen behind his brown eyes that seems to pierce through Sasuke like a knife.

"Who are you?" Naruto wants to know.

"I am the Guardian of the Urn of Sacred Ashes. In life, I was Tenji, Emperor of the Land of Ancestors and consort of Lady Kaguya. I have waited years for this moment."

"For someone to take the ashes?" Sakura asks.

"No one can take the ashes. They belong here. It has been my duty, my life, to protect the Urn and prepare the way for the faithful who come to revere the Rabbit Goddess. For years beyond counting I have been here, and I shall remain here until my task is done and that which poisoned her heart is destroyed."

"Do you mean the lunatics we dealt with on our way here?" Naruto wants to know. "Because they all seemed to think they were following the will of Kaguya."

The ancient being appears to sigh. "When my brethren and I carried Kaguya from the ruins of the Divine Tree where she burned alive, we vowed to revere her memory forever and guard her. I have watched generations of my brethren take up the mantle of their fathers. For centuries they did this, unwavering—joyful in their appointed task. But now they have lost their way. They have forgotten Kaguya and their promise."

"And instead they started worshipping a dragon," Kakashi puts forth.

"If it helps, we dealt with it," Sakura says, and the Guardian nods in gratitude.

"Its death is welcome news. It was a fearsome creature, and they must have seen her as an alternative to a silent goddess. A true believer would not require audacious displays of power."

"How did things even get so bad down there? They were killing _children_."

Disgust drips from Sakura's every syllable.

"It began with an ancestor of the one known as Mukade. Kaguya's own son, Zetsu. He never recovered from losing her and imagined himself as a new prophet preaching her rebirth. Some disagreed with him. I heard their cries of pain and loss, which were quickly silenced."

"Then we did the world a favour ridding it of such filth," Sasuke states.

The Guardian considers him in a way that makes him uneasy, and then says, "The goddess will sit in judgement of them when the time comes."

A note of pity hangs in the air.

"I'd like to see the Urn," Sakura says. "Since we've come all this way."

"If you have come to honour Lady Kaguya, you must prove yourself worthy."

"Doesn't making the trip to save another person's life suggest worthiness?" Naruto quips.

"You must prove yourselves worthy," the Guardian repeats. "It is not my place to decide that. The Gauntlet was created for such a reason—if you are found worthy, you will see the Urn and be permitted a small pinch of ashes. If not…"

He trails off as if in warning, and Sasuke takes better notice of the giant maul strapped to his back. He suspects the tool is not simply for decoration.

"What is this Gauntlet?" Sakura wants to know.

"It's not more crazy cultists, is it?" Naruto interrupts. "Because I've filled my quota today. And then there was the dragon, so…"

"The Gauntlet weighs intentions. It separates the true pilgrims from the false," the Guardian explains. "You will undergo four tests of faith and in the process see how your soul fares."

Sasuke frowns, not sure that sounds good. Of their party of four, only Naruto is a believer in the Chantry. Sasuke may be an outcast among his kind, but he keeps faith with the elven gods. Kakashi often says he is too jaded to trust in a higher power while Sakura sometimes mentions her own dwarvish notions about _paragons_.

 _We are not exactly a cross-section of_ shemlen _faithful_ _…_

But Sakura shakes her head, unbothered by the pronouncement. "I've seen too much since I became a Warden to not realise there's _something_ beyond what I know. Before, I thought the Fade and magic were myths, stories told by bored dwarves. And now I travel with a mage and visit the Fade in my dreams. And I wouldn't have led us up this mountain if I didn't believe in _something_." She gazes at her comrades. "She may not be _my_ goddess, but I believe she existed. I believe she had power. And I believe she will help Arl Hiruzen."

Sasuke considers this. She might have a point.

"Alright then!" Naruto chuckles. "Let's get this over with!"

"Before you move on, there is something I must ask each of you," the Guardian says. "I see that the path that led you here has not been easy. There is suffering in your past—all your pasts—and the suffering of others. You, dwarf…when you fled your life in Iwa, you left not only your troubled past behind, but your loved ones. Do you regret leaving them?"

"Every day," Sakura says without hesitation. "But I also know if I'd tried to go back for them, the deep lords might've caught me. And the _deshyrs_ might've forced my parents to watch my execution. I can't think of a worse curse for a parent than to bury their child. At least going with the Wardens, I could send them a message that I'm alive and hope we might reunite someday."

"It is often hard to see beyond our own pain to consider that of others. You are a woman of empathy," the Guardian tells her, approval ringing in his tone. He turns to Naruto. "Son of Minato, Templar-Knight and Warden, you wonder if things would have been different if you were with Iruka on the battlefield. You believe you could have shielded him from the killing blow. You wonder, don't you? If you should have died, and not him?"

Naruto looks down and admits, "I…yeah. If Iruka had been saved at Kannabi Bridge, and not me, everything would be better. If I'd just had the chance, maybe…"

"Regret can hold one back from achieving greatness," the Guardian tells him. "Ask yourself if it truly would have been better." He turns away. "And now, the mage."

"Oh, is it my turn now?" Kakashi wonders dryly. "I am so excited."

"Many have died at your hand during your flights from the Circle of Magi. But is there any you regret more than a woman by the name of—"

"No," Kakashi cuts him off. "The answer is 'no' if that is what you wish to know. I do not. Now move on."

"Very well."

The Guardian faces Sasuke, who tries not to feel unnerved by those piercing eyes he now knows see all.

"Demand whatever answers you want, spirit," he challenges.

"You came to this land to end a life for vengeance, in direct violation of your clan teachings. And yet…do you feel you failed your people by allowing that life to continue despite your vow?"

"I never denied that I failed."

"And yet I do not sense the same regret in this as I might have once," the Guardian muses. "Something has changed, though you do not wish to acknowledge it."

Sasuke's fist clenches as the Guardian turns away.

"The way is open," he intones, looking at them each in turn. "Good luck. And may you find what you seek."

There is a growing, burning white light that blossoms from his pale eyes, growing stronger and stronger, before winking out.

Then, the four of them are left standing in the empty chamber, gazing at one another with unease.

TBC

* * *

 _durgen'len_ – children of the stone; term for the dwarves

 _paragon_ – elite of the dwarven culture throughout history which all dwarves revere

 _shemlen_ – quickling(s) or quick child/children, the old Elvish term for humans

 _deep lord_ – perjerotive term for dwarven noble

 _deshyr_ – dwarven assembly lord

* * *

 _Comments and concrit are much appreciated, and very motivating! If you are interested in supporting my writing, check out my tumblr page for more information_

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	13. Chapter Thirteen

**AN:** All recognizable dialogue comes from _Dragon Age Origins_. Anything else is mine.

* * *

"Well," Sakura says when it becomes clear the Guardian does not intend to return. "We didn't come all this way only to leave now."

"I am not even sure we could even if we wanted to," Kakashi says, and when the others display confusion, he points at the door through which they just passed. It has closed, and there is a blue sheen of magic rippling over it. "The only way out is through, I suspect."

"Who cares about that?" Naruto says. "We've just dealt with a dragon, what could be wo—"

Sasuke's hand snaps out, covering the human's mouth. " _Fenedhis!_ Do you mean to jinx us before we even get started?"

"Yeah, Naruto, don't tempt fate," Sakura complains.

Naruto pulls away from Sasuke, shoving him roughly and sulking. "Sheesh, I didn't mean anything by it…"

"This place is ancient and eldritch," Kakashi says. "I would not be surprised if the very walls are enchanted, so watch even your words if you must."

They exchange wary glances and start forward—there is only one way to go, after all.

The archway they walk beneath leads to another old chamber, which at first glance appears to lead off into several directions. As they step farther into the space, it becomes clear that they are domed alcoves instead of pathways; at its end, a door. Fog and dust line the ground, and as they approach the centre of the room, shapes swirl into being within each of the eight alcoves.

"Ghosts," Naruto hisses, holding his shield closer to him as if it will defend against such things. The apparitions are colourless and without mass, and yet they hold shape as they hover in place, staring vacantly into space.

Gingerly, Sakura takes a step forward. Sasuke half expects the beings to attack them, but none of them move, not even as she crosses the hall and heads for the door.

"There's no handle or key here," she announces, glancing back at the others.

"It would seem our new companions might hold the answer to this conundrum," Kakashi suggests.

"Great. Breaking and entering advice from ghosts," Sakura sighs and approaches one image. "This is so creepy…" She stands before the ghost, that of a young woman with wide eyes and whose hair is held back with a strange headpiece.

"Er…how do we open the door?" she asks.

 _"The smallest lark could carry it, while a strong man might not,"_ the apparition whispers. "Of what do I speak?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Naruto demands.

 _"That is not the right answer."_

"Naruto!" Sakura cries out in dismay, but the ghost's sudden keening wail almost drowns her out.

The shape vanishes in a burst of bright light. In her place, four swirling masses of dust whirl up in front of them, formless except for torsos that open onto their insides, ribs and intestines lined with jagged teeth. Clawed arms lash out at them, forcing the party to jump back.

"Ash wraiths!" Kakashi shouts, as one of them wafts forward, slashing outward with its clawed arms at Sakura. She jumps back, but instead of landing in a crouch, her foot slips in the moving dust behind her. She tumbles backward. The other creature slams into Naruto, who only just blocks the attack with his shield, while the two remaining wraiths charge Kakashi and Sasuke.

"Do not use flame!" Sasuke orders, nocking one of his ice-enchanted arrows. "It will be useless against these things."

He looses the arrow at the closest wraith, which avoids it by dissolving into an incorporeal cloud of ash before reforming. Sasuke's second arrow finds its mark, sailing through unprotected innards. The wraith gives an enraged shriek, before collapsing into nothingness, not reforming this time.

In the meantime, Kakashi's hands glow blue, and hundreds of shards of ice skewer upward into the other wraith, penetrating it like a pincushion.

"Kakashi!" Naruto barks, still grappling with his adversary. He knocks it backward with his shield, aiming in Kakashi's direction. Before it can avoid the blow by dissembling into dust, another blast of ice from Kakashi obliterates it into grey flakes of ashy snow. Beyond them, Sasuke hears an explosion. Sakura tosses another of her Freeze Bombs into the air, encapsulating her opponent within and rendering it little more than a grotesque ice statue.

The chamber goes quiet again, but for their laboured breathing. Through all this the remaining apparitions do not move or speak or show any sign of noticing the presence of the living.

The frozen ash wraith statue bursts, emitting another blinding swatch of light. This shines upon the door they tried to enter earlier, and a sound like a chain being pulled through a channel echoes around them.

The wraiths vanish in another burst of light, which shines upon the door beyond them. There is a sound like a chain being pulled, and a disembodied voice whispers in the chamber.

 _"I was Kaguya's attendant, and closest confidante. And to comfort her, I would sing. She sought the beauty in all life, and my singing brought her joy. But then she heard the melody of the God Tree and could no longer be lulled by simple songs."_

"Songs?" Sakura wonders.

"Shh, Sakura, don't say anything!" Naruto hisses. "You'll bring more of those things down on us!"

"If that were the case, you opening your mouth would do the same," Sasuke says dryly. "I do not believe it is mere speech that wakes these spirits."

"I suspect you have to speak to them directly," Kakashi suggests.

"Songs…carry it…" Sakura repeats and after a spell, punches her fist into her palm. "Oh! A tune! I understand now—they're riddles." She points at the door. "To open the door, we need to solve all the riddles."

"Riddles from ghosts. How quaint," Kakashi sighs with the weight of a laboured groan. "Well, I imagine all of these individuals were part of Kaguya's life. Perhaps even her death."

"That would make sense."

"Analytical thinking is your area of expertise, Sakura."

Sasuke mumbles, "Best gag Naruto just in case."

"Oi!"

But Naruto keeps conspicuously silent as Sakura wanders to the next ghost, listening intently to the clue it has for her. A young man, who has horns on his head like the Kossith in the north. There is a gem set in his brow, and he wears a necklace of _magatama_.

 _"She wields the broken sword and separates the kings from tyrants,"_ the ghost intones. _"Of what do I speak?"_

Sakura mouths the words to herself soundlessly, and then comprehension dawns.

"Mercy," she declares.

" _Yes_ ," the spirit says. _"I could not bear the pain of my mother's corruption and suffering, and mercy bade me end her life. I am the penitent sinner who shows compassion as he hopes compassion will be shown to him."_

This time when the brilliant light encompasses the chamber, no ash wraiths rise. Only the sound of another lock in the door being loosened.

"I believe that was Hagoromo, the eldest of Kaguya's sons," Kakashi muses. "He was of great importance to the first mages of this continent."

"Who cares who he was?" Sasuke says. "Let us get through this."

"Says the one who won't be doing the hard thinking," Sakura quips, a wry smile on her face. But she approaches the next apparition as gamely as possible.

The rest of the procession of ghosts and their respective riddles are handled successfully although it is time consuming. Sakura asks for their words, and answers after a moment of contemplation. Only once does she falter, near the end of the corridor.

 _"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,"_ an angry-looking man in ancient imperial garb declares. _"The debt of blood must be paid in full. Of what do I speak?"_

"Vengeance," Sakura says eventually, eyes trained on Sasuke.

 _"Yes,"_ the ghost speaks. _"When news came to me that a foreign wench from the Land of Ancestors had killed my scouts, I hunted her down to show her the might of my kingdom. I am justice. I am vengeance. Blood can only be repaid in blood."_

Sasuke shivers a little at this, the words hitting too close to heart. Was that not what brought him here? And yet, he realises dimly, the words the Guardian spoke earlier somehow diminish that truth.

Something has changed.

There is no time to dwell on this realisation, as the door they have been working towards finally opens. The stone doors scrape against the ground, leading them into another chamber.

This one appears to be better lit, and much larger.

"I guess that means we beat the first test," Naruto observes.

" _Sakura_ beat the first test," Kakashi says. "No doubt we will all be tried before this is over."

Torchlight illuminates the path. Before them is another large, open chamber, with a central column as wide as the four of them standing abreast. The light and air current from beyond suggest both sides lead to the same location, but at the moment, the path is blocked.

A young woman stands there—a dwarf, Sasuke notes, based on her stature and buxom frame. She is blonde, with hair that falls over one eyes, and a mouth that curves into a sharp smile.

"Ino?" Sakura gasps.

"Hey, Forehead, what's shapin'?" the blond, buxom stranger says with a smirk. Her voice echoes in a manner that is not entirely human.

Sakura seems about to rush forward and throw her arms around the other woman, but pauses, remembering herself.

"You're not real," she sighs sadly.

"I'm plenty real. I'm just not actually here, am I?" Ino replies. "Can you blame me? There's so much to do these days. Just this morning I had to run from another bunch of Sasori's damned puppets. They want to take me apart layer by layer. I didn't even realise I had that many layers." She snorts and tosses her hair. "Did I mention they were real upset about the Proving thing?"

"You know I had to leave," Sakura murmurs sadly.

"That's the way it goes, isn't it? You can't afford to think of the past. You have to look forward." Ino's expression softens. "I'm proud of you for moving on…and also at the improvement in your taste."

Sasuke feels suddenly like the figure is looking at him.

"Ino…my parents…?" Sakura begins.

"From what I heard, they're alive," the other dwarf replies. "Right after you disappeared into the Deep Roads, they hightailed it surfaceside. Decided to become merchants on the off-chance you came out somewhere on the other side."

"Really?" Sakura whispers.

"That's what Ino hopes," the apparition says. "The truth of it is yet another quest for you to embark on." It turns to Kakashi, and suddenly its expression morphs into that of an older man with soft eyes and a gentle smile.

Sasuke suddenly has an idea of what the mage's face might look like beneath his mask.

"Kakashi…"

"I know you are not him, spirit," Kakashi says. "I made peace with my father's death during my Harrowing. He would not return."

"Perhaps…or perhaps you did not know him as you thought you did," the spirit with the face of Kakashi's sire suggests. "But you…you have come so far since I last saw you. The last vestiges of your shackled life in the Circle have all-but fallen away. You are free of the past and nothing will hold you back. Be strong, my son, and do not falter."

The mage's mouth works beneath his mask. "Such a thing was never in question."

"Only late at night and all alone," the man replies, and faces Naruto.

In his place, a man with a scar across the bridge of his nose looks down at Naruto with obvious fondness.

"Now, look at you," he chuckles. "You haven't changed a bit, Naruto."

"Iruka…Iruka-sensei," the human warrior chokes out. "I…I'm so glad to see you. Even though I… even though you're dead."

"Yes, I am. You know that I am gone and all your prayers and dreams and hopes for the reverse will not bring me back," the man says, with the air of one who is used to giving a lecture. "I know you must miss me, but my death and my life no longer have a hold on you. This is how it should be. Set your eyes on the horizon—your future blazes like a sun. Do not look back and do not falter."

When the apparition turns to Sasuke, he instinctively knows who he will see and that he cannot stop it. Still, it is physically jarring when his brother's face forms in front of him—the almost identical facial features that Sasuke sees in his reflection every day. On his brother's face, they are sharper and hollower.

"Hello, little brother."

Naruto and Kakashi emit badly hidden noises of surprise, but Sakura does not. She knows who he is. Sasuke's throat works uselessly, and he tries to will himself to speak.

"Itachi,"" he croaks. "Does this mean you are dead?"

 _Does this mean my search for revenge has been in vain?_

"I am part of the Gauntlet and a part of you," the creature wearing his brothers face tells him. "Death is immaterial here, footsteps in the dust."

"I suppose you want me to say I regret trying to find you?" Sasuke snaps.

"Some things lost can never be found. Some mistakes never unmade," the false Itachi murmurs. "Those that survive must go on living. You have suffered enough, thinking that you could have changed events—that seeking me out will bring you closure. It is time to leave that behind, to move past the horror of that night."

"A horror you caused."

"Yes. No. Perhaps." The false Itachi inclines his head. "Whatever the truth, I envy you. You can go on to other things." His eyes rest on Sakura. "Things I can only dream of. But then, I always knew you would. Heed my words, brother, the next test is for you: to face who you are and who you were and decide which will live to see the day."

The apparition reaches for him, two fingers hovering before his eyes, the same way that Itachi used to do when they were children. Sasuke can almost feel them tap him on the forehead when the figure disappears.

 _Maybe next time, Sasuke._

He remains frozen for a long while, his entire body seized as if to ward off an attack, his brain puzzling over the words. The lump in his throat grows more painful by the second.

The world only comes back to him when there is a small touch to his wrist. Dimly, as if half-asleep, he looks down to see Sakura's fingers tentatively brushing the skin there. He meets her gaze, sees permission, and does not pull away when she wraps her hand around his, giving it a brief squeeze.

He is not one for overt display, and under normal circumstances it might bother him the way Kakashi's eyebrows go up and Naruto makes a noise of scandalised disbelief. But seeing Itachi in such close quarters, even if it was not truly him, stirs up far too many confusing emotions within him to name.

He is dizzy, angry, sad—

And his knees feel like they are about to fall out from under him. Sakura's grip is soft but promises the strength to hold him up should he fall.

 _You go on to other things. Things I can only dream of._

Sasuke realises in that moment that things have progressed further than he ever would have expected. Especially if, when called to lean upon anyone, his immediate preference is the small dwarven woman with the offensive coloured hair and eyes as brilliant as _feladara_.

TBC

* * *

 _Fenedhis –_ a common curse word; literal translation would be "shit", "fuck" or "goddamn"

 _Feladara_ \- elfroot

* * *

 _I tweaked some of the tests a bit for logic and plot purposes. In the game, the shadows of the past are only supposed to be the Warden, but I thought that was stupid, since the Warden usually goes in with party members. So I decide they all have to face their past. Because reasons ?_

 **栗**


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Author's Note:** For once I'm proud of the action scene, so that's something :P Also, I once again changed some aspects of the game to be less confusing for the story. Canon sticklers need not complain :D

* * *

"So…" Kakashi's slow, speculative drawl is what brings Sasuke back to the present. "This is…new."

His tone is innocent, but the raised eyebrow is not.

Instantly, Sasuke is several feet away from Sakura, refusing to look at her—refusing to look at any of them as his mind races to process what just happened.

Confusion, pain and rage war within him. Before his eyes, he can still see Itachi's face, preternaturally and maddeningly calm. It is the same way he looked the night he slaughtered their people.

Bile rises in the back of Sasuke's throat, because how did he let himself get so drawn off-course? Traipsing along on a useless quest like this, to save the life of a jumped-up _shemlen_ noble? Justifying it with a childish notion of improving himself? How _exactly_ was he intending to accomplish this? By absorbing the talents of others through osmosis?

He needs to return to his mission, to leave this place.

Fists clenched, he glances back at the door they came through, past the archway and the riddle chamber. The way is now shut. Kakashi said the only way out is through, and Sasuke decides that as soon as they are finished with this foolhardy expedition, he will leave.

He has become weak beside them and forgotten himself.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura prompts, the note of concern causing a muscle in his jaw to clench.

 _Just how much of that weakness is because of_ her _?_

He does not answer, instead turning to Kakashi. "Whatever nonsense you are spewing, we do not have time for it." He jerks his head to the chamber before them. "We are halfway through this travesty of a trial, let us be done with it."

Kakashi's eyebrow raises higher, but he does not offer another comment.

"Actually…" Sakura begins faintly, but a beat later her voice comes as strong as ever. "I don't think that was a test just now. I think…I think it was a reward."

Sasuke cannot help looking back at her now, if only to shoot her a disbelieving look.

"You call _that_ a reward?" Naruto demands, voicing his own reservations.

"In a way, it was," Kakashi says, standing beside Sakura. "A chance to face the past is a rare opportunity not offered to all who seek it."

"Are we going?" Sasuke interrupts, impatient. He heads for the left side of the antechamber, not bothering to wait for the others. There is another arched doorway before him and he makes his way toward it—

Only to freeze when he sees the unexpected individual on the other side.

At first, he wonders if he has come face to face with a particularly clear mirror. His identical image stares back at him, the only discernable difference in the blank cast of the eyes. But he finds no glass here, and the rise and fall of the other elf's chest is out of sync with his own.

The rest of his party catches up, pausing behind him. As they near the archway, shadows appear beside Sasuke's double: facsimiles of the other three.

"That's…us," Naruto points out, nonplussed.

"It seems we are meant to battle ourselves," Kakashi muses. "If that is not symbolism, I do not know what is."

" _Tch_. It's irritating, is what it is," Sasuke says.

"We still have to get through it," Sakura reminds him.

Naruto hefts his sword and shield. "Well, they won't take care of themselves. Let's get busy!"

Sasuke shrugs—there is not much else for it—and steps over the threshold.

Instantly, his doppelgänger fires an arrow in his direction, forcing Sasuke to duck and those behind him to scatter. He does not pause in his advance, raising his own bow and sending a volley of arrows back. Sasuke's comrades regroup, quickly clashing with their own doubles.

In close quarters, Sasuke and his twin clash with daggers, hacking and slicing at each other, lashing out with hidden blades or sharp kicks to vulnerable body parts. Each of these is blocked with ease, and their strength is so equal they end up staggering backward and away from one another. Only to dash forward once again.

Up close, Sasuke notices that though their faces are blank and lifeless—like puppets controlled by a string—their opponents are deadly and quick.

Every strength he has, so does the other, and wherever he compensates for weakness, his double does as well. In the periphery of his vision, he notes Kakashi trading blasts of magic with his doppelgänger. Fire cancels out ice, electricity renders waves of earth to nothing but dust in the air. Naruto and his clone trade blows of shield and sword, their movements telegraphed like a dance, while Sakura and her twin grasp each other by the hands. Both dwarves try to wrestle the other to the ground but cannot break the stalemate.

"We can't keep doing this!" Naruto grunts, ducking a swing of the shield from his opponent.

Sasuke does not want to agree, but he has little choice. Their doubles will probably never tire, and he does not have the luxury of waiting around to get a lucky shot. Especially when that lucky shot might be against him.

"We need to treat this as any other attack," Sakura calls out. "The same way we face any group of enemies."

 _Take out the mage, then pick off the ranged fighters while distracting the foot soldiers_.

There is no need to speak this plan aloud, as they have been fighting together long enough to know what tactics work. Naruto steps up his speed, knocking his double momentarily off-balance, and takes a swipe at Sakura's opponent. While he engages the enemy dwarf, Sakura takes a run at Sasuke's twin, distracting him long enough that Sasuke can slip into the shadows. He sneaks up behind Kakashi's copy, fitting another arrow. In a perfect world, once they defeat the enemy mage, Sasuke and Kakashi can rain down a hail of arrows and magic on the remaining fighters.

But that is not what happens.

Naruto is soon overwhelmed by the combination of his and Sakura's clones, thrown backward by their force and reduced to simply dodging. And Kakashi's doppelgänger might be trading blows with their mage, but it does not stop him from trapping Sasuke in place with a paralysis hex.

As the elf waits helplessly for the spell to wear off, Sakura falters in front of his double, unable to deliver a crippling punch to the back of his neck. The other Sasuke takes advantage, lashing out behind him with a knife that she only just dodges, the blade cutting across her cheek. The doppelgänger tries to follow up with a lethal slash to her throat, but Sasuke deflects this with an arrow as the paralysis hex dissipates.

Only to find himself knocked painfully across the face with the blunt edge of the enemy mage's staff.

Stars circling his vision, Sasuke backs away, trying to reorient himself. He slips back toward the antechamber, taking cover behind the large statue there.

He is not the only one; soon the rest of his comrades are beside him, cradling various injuries and fending off attempts by their doubles to follow them into the small room.

"Can I just say…what the hell?" Naruto demands, blood streaming from his nose and mouth where the edge of his opponent's shield clipped him. "Are we really that tough? No wonder no one's ever beat us yet!"

Kakashi and Sasuke take their places at either end of the room, hovered in the shadows of the archways to guard from magic and metal projectiles. Sasuke discovers he must pick up a lot of the slack because apparently Naruto's double uses more Templar abilities than the real one does. It dispels any of Kakashi's larger invocations with ease.

"This trial is not just fighting ourselves," Kakashi muses. "It is fighting our _best_ selves. Imagine yourself at your most focussed, your strongest, most well-rested…"

"Compared to starving and exhausted and bleeding internally?" Sakura grumbles, frustration colouring her normal cheer. "We should still be able to do this. They're _us_ for Stone's sake! We know our own weaknesses better than anyone!"

"And so do they," Sasuke says, sending a volley of freezing arrows out to stop Sakura and Naruto's clones from coming closer. "They are not regular opponents. Regular tactics will not work here because we are not regular individuals. Each of us have specific skills and talents that when used in conjunction with each other makes it a difficult force to beat."

"So, you're saying they're stronger together," Naruto suggests, and then groans. "Well, no shit! Why do you think we swapped opponents? To separate them and make 'em easier to beat!"

"No," Sasuke replies as Kakashi creates sends a fireball at Sasuke's double. "You have been trying to exploit the weaknesses _you_ know. Not the ones you might not."

"That makes no sense!"

"Oh!" Sakura blurts, staring at Sasuke in surprise. "Yes—yes it does!"

"I believe an explanation is warranted?" Kakashi suggests, summoning a blizzard into the other room. It will not last long, especially with Naruto's twin able to nullify it, but it will buy them time.

"Sasuke's an assassin! He tried to kill us all before, so he would have to know our weaknesses," she explains. "I look out there, and I see my friends. I see your strengths and maybe the most obvious weaknesses. A blind side or a weak ankle. But Sasuke…you had to find the _unexpected_ weaknesses when you were hired to kill us!" They wince as Kakashi's double sends an invisible rock through the air, making the entire chamber shake dangerously. "Tell us—how would you kill us, if you still had to?"

Naruto makes a startled choking noise and Kakashi looks grim beneath his mask, but Sasuke knows what she wants. He nods.

He turns his attention back to the individuals barring their way, and he orders his mind to disassociate from the people beside him. To see these familiar faces as nothing more than targets.

"You must do as I say," he orders. "Do not question it, just do it." When the others nod, Naruto warier than the others, he goes on: "This is what needs to happen…"

His mind races with every detail he has unconsciously collected on these people since they met, thinking of every scenario and personal failing that can be exploited. As he outlines what amount to his early plans for murdering each of the other three, Naruto grinds his teeth and Kakashi's brow furrows. Sasuke does not allow himself to even acknowledge Sakura's reaction.

With the plan set, they take one last moment of relative safety behind the wall, and then rush forward as one. Kakashi and Sasuke, as usual, offer cover for Sakura and Naruto to get to their doubles. To the unknowing eye, their tactics are the same as earlier.

As they fight their individual battles to stalemate, Sasuke remains keenly aware of everyone else's position. He tracks when his comrades subtly and slowly move into a formation. At last, Kakashi's doppelgänger is on one side of the chamber, while the other three are herded away from him.

 _That's it!_

"Now!" Sasuke orders, ducking the blow of his double and somersaulting toward his enemy, firing off three arrows as he rolls to his feet. The enemy burns the shafts to cinders, but Sasuke does not let up, sending volley after volley onward to keep him busy. Meanwhile, Kakashi telekinetically blasts Sasuke's double, sending him flying across the flor. Sakura and Naruto disengage from their opponents and make a break for the enemy mage while Kakashi summons a freezing blast over the other three. He focusses his assault on Naruto's double—if he is too immobilised, he cannot use his  
Templar abilities to nullify the magic.

Sakura and Naruto zero in on Kakashi's double from both sides, while Sasuke pelts him with arrows from greater and greater distances. Cloaked in the shadowed corners of the room, he searches for an opening. Kakashi's clone deflects the missiles, using his staff to keep Naruto and Sakura out of his range as he does so.

"Sooner would be better!" Kakashi calls, maintaining his onslaught of ice on the three enemies as he speaks. There is a worrying edge of exhaustion there, suggesting he is running out of mana.

Naruto's clone twitches, but Sasuke cannot allow himself to dwell on that. Instead, his eyes trail the arc of the enemy mage's staff, trying to catch the patterns and repetitions in its movement, the openings in the sweeping motion—

 _There!_

He lets one arrow fly at just the right time, and it slides through the air, sneaking through a gap before the mage's staff can deflect it. It slams into the man's breastbone with a sickening wet crack that sends him staggering backward.

"Finish it!" Sasuke orders. Though he senses hesitation on both Naruto and Sakura's faces, they move forward in unison. Naruto shoves his sword forward, punching through the mage's abdomen, and Sakura's axe sweeps out, lopping head from shoulders.

The body slumps with a nauseating sound, its head several feet away.

Naruto swears in disgust, and Sakura's free hand goes to her mouth in horror, but they do not have time for feelings.

"Pull yourselves together, it is not him, you fools!" Sasuke snarls, because they do not have time to give in to sentiment.

"R-right," Sakura says, and hurries past the mage's body.

Naruto's double has finally thrown off Kakashi's spell and emitted a blast of purifying energy to dispel the magic. The Templar has a tendency to pop up where they do not want him, having all of Naruto's skills when it comes to speed. Sakura and Sasuke both have an eye for his weaknesses and flank him together. Meanwhile, Naruto makes a play for Sakura's double, distracting her. It should be easier this time without his doppelgänger backing her up, and with Kakashi keeping Sasuke's twin occupied by several blasts of arcane power.

The Templar ends up being more of a challenge than Sasuke expected, focussing his efforts on eliminating who he considers the weaker opponent. Taking out the archer is, of course, the preferred opening strategy of their group. Sasuke's teeth rattle as the edge of the Templar's shield catches him in the head, for once being a hair too slow to dodge it. Dizzy, he sees the flash of a blade heading for him and knows he will not be able to move in time to avoid critical injury.

There is a wordless yell of rage, and the templar folds from behind as Sakura tackles him, knocking him to the ground. As they wrestle on the floor, the struggle causes Naruto's double to lose his helm. Sakura takes quick advantage of this, delivering one final, solid punch downward.

Blood spurts and bone breaks, before the familiar blond figure gives a full-body twitch and goes still.

 _Two down_ , Sasuke thinks dimly, as he gets his balance back. He opens his mouth to tell Sakura to go for his twin but pauses when he notices the bone-white colour of her face.

He has seen her injured near the point of death, terrified by giant, poison-spewing spiders or agonised at the sight of broken bodied villagers destroyed by the Blight. But the expression on her face is of utter anguish—a woman being burned alive or torn to shreds. Naruto is her friend, in many ways her brother, and doppelgänger or not, she was forced to kill him.

It hits Sasuke for the first time, how this must feel to the others. That by the end of this trial they will all know the feeling of murdering a comrade.

And how he led them to do this without thought. He switched off his own feelings with sickening ease and expected them to do the same. Sakura requested this of him, and rather than stop her, he let her burden herself with an experience that will haunt her always, no matter the artifice involved.

His empty stomach clenches, and he might give in to the urge to vomit, if it were not for the fact two of the doppelgangers remain.

Sakura is shaking when she looks up at him.

"Are you okay?" she asks him, strained. It boggles the mind because in a way, she just killed her closest friend, but she wants to know if _he_ is all right.

He is saved the trouble of answering as the archer's arrows throw Kakashi backward, and Sakura darts over to help him. At the same time, Naruto takes a run at Sasuke's double. He knocks him aside, deflecting a finishing blow by hammering at him with his fists, and Sasuke remains alone to face Sakura's empty-eyed twin.

He has seen her spar in close quarters before, and she has excellent defences. If he has any chance of keeping her occupied, let alone winning, he will need to fight dirty.

Dodging and sliding past the punishing blows of her axe and her fist, Sasuke slices outward with his knife. Every so often he darts into her attack range, risking a crippling blow if she catches him, on the off-chance that he can unlatch the ties in her armour. Whenever he comes close, the nicks in the leather straps and ties wear a little thinner. Every bruise and glancing blow from her makes his bones shatter, but every bit helps.

When her breast-plate finally falls away, she does not bother reattaching it, too keen on making a grab for his neck. If she catches hold of him, he will die—but she has left an opening.

Sasuke lunges with his dagger.

She expects this, blocking him so strongly with her bracer that the bones in his left arm snap. But he is already following through with the other hand—and the dagger he had concealed there. It is one of the enchanted blades they have picked up, crackling with electricity from a lightning rune. He thrusts it forward with all his might into the fleshy part between her ribs.

Her breath punches out of her, the sound a facsimile of surprise.

He knows, distantly, that it is not real, but that does not stop the sense of accusation in the her staring green eyes. In that moment, the wall he erected between his task and the grim reality of the situation vanishes. He is left staring at his hand in Sakura's chest, her blood dripping down his wrist.

In the distance, he hears a body hit the floor—his double, he suspects—and the others calling out to confirm they have all made it through in one piece. But his victim's blank-green eyes keep Sasuke prisoner, and he finds himself unable to breathe even as the body slides backwards off his blade and to the ground.

This time he does not try to stop the bile from rising and spilling from his throat.

* * *

 _Reviews and concrit are much appreciated!_

 **栗**


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Author's Note:** Shamelessly changed the trial here, because moving a bunch of people around to find the magic pattern to make the bridge would just be boring. This was more fun for me (and hopefully you!)

* * *

When Sasuke returns to himself, he is surprised to find Kakashi standing over him. More astonishing, when the older man offers him his hand, Sasuke accepts it, allowing him to drag him to his feet.

"This is the only aid I can offer now," Kakashi explains tiredly. "I have hit my limit, it seems."

Sasuke's eyes travel across the room, carefully ignoring the familiar corpses on the floor, seeking Sakura. Though he knows the facsimile he killed was not her, he discovers a childish need to make sure she is all right.

She is, albeit in a harried condition. Naruto is bleeding from an arm that has been hacked to pieces by a rogue's switchblade. She is digging frantically through her healing kit to help him while he tries to hold his wounds closed. The human has had worse injuries, but Sasuke suspects her guilt over killing Naruto's double has her on edge. She will help him now or die trying.

"I hope there are no more challenges like this," Kakashi goes on. "Responsibility for the demise of a loved one, even given the pretence of this…it is an experience that should be avoided if possible."

There is a meaningful undertone there that seems like it's directed at him. Kakashi may not know the details of Sasuke's past, but it is clear he has suspicions.

Sasuke doesn't reply, instead pulling away from the mage and heading for the giant door of the chamber. It should be open now, but it remains stubbornly warded, forbidding blue energy radiating from it.

"I don't get it," Naruto wonders through gritted teeth as Sakura stitches the wound on his right arm together. "Why didn't it open? We defeated…uh…us."

"Once I finish here, we'll spread out," Sakura says, eyes focussed on her work. "There might be something that our…that those clones were guarding, or perhaps dropped."

"I will start looking," Kakashi volunteers, clearly intending to spare them the experience of looting the corpses of friends.

Everyone is avoiding each other's eyes, but still trying to work together. In time, perhaps the skittishness will fade. This experience will seem like a momentary dark spot, something faced and overcome. It might fuel nightmares for a few nights or offer an image that comes back to them in moments of reflection to make them shudder. But all three of them can go on knowing what they did was a matter in which they had no choice. Deeds that were more symbolism than anything else.

But to Sasuke, this trial is a reminder.

Of how easy it was for him to return to that state of mind. Of what he needs to do if he intends to return to his path and find Itachi.

This is what he must become once more.

Sakura's twin still gazes up at him in sad, silent accusation, and his throat closes again.

It is as if a switch inside of him clicks.

 _I will find another way, brother_ , Sasuke decides with a harsh certainty. _I will not become this again to carry out what is right. I will find another path, my own way. I will not follow in your footsteps._

There is a loud creaking grind of stone on stone, and the door that barred them from moving forward slides open.

"Huh," Naruto says, staring at it. "I guess it needed a minute to kick in."

"Doesn't surprise me," Sakura says. "Spells or not, I doubt anyone has ever been far enough in this way. The mechanisms are rusty."

"It iss as good an explanation as any," Kakashi says, but he sounds like he doubts it.

Not wanting to give him a chance to analyse the situation further, Sasuke gets up and heads into the next section of the temple. He hears the others scrambling after him, perhaps fearing the door might close again before they can.

This place is larger than the other rooms, if only because of the giant, gaping chasm that makes up the most of it. Twenty yards away, and with no bridge in sight, he can see the next door.

"Maybe it's an invisible bridge," Naruto suggests.

"If you want to try that out, be my guest," Sasuke mumbles.

Naruto begins to reply, but his response gets lost in his throat. When Sasuke turns to find out what has distracted him, he discovers he cannot move.

"I imagine there is a puzzle or test we have to complete to make the bridge appear," Kakashi muses, striding past him without noticing. "What do you think, Sakura?" The only response he gets is a muffled, strangled squeak. Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke sees that she, too, has been rendered paralysed. "Sakura?"

The mage turns now and sees the three members of his party immobilised.

"Ah. So, I am the one to be tested this time," the mage mumbles. "Do your worst, then."

"Do you really mean that?"

The voice is Naruto's, but not.

When Sasuke strains to look, he finds the human has turned to face Kakashi now, but his eyes are blank.

"Or do you say it because they expect you to?" he continues. "You have always been so careful of keeping up appearances. It is _exhausting_. And you so _hate_ effort. You have always been one to evade the hard decisions," 'Naruto' intones drowsily. "Avoiding attention, refusing to get involved. Battling darkspawn was a convenient excuse to escape the Circle and following this motley crew protects you from Templars…you hope."

Kakashi frowns.

"So, I wonder…why bother with this silly quest? It is so much effort…wasted in the end, really. You fight for a world that does not want you. You would be safer and more content if you let it pass you by."

"That is debateable."

"I will offer you an alternative: return the way you came. I will open the doors and you can escape this place. Find somewhere safe and warm. Settle down."

"And what would happen to my companions?"

"They would stay here. I will offer them peaceful sleep—blissful dreams until their skin and bones fade to dust. A moment in time for them, instead of a long-drawn-out death in search of something which may not exist."

Kakashi shakes his head. "No. None of them would thank me for doing them that favour. Naruto would sacrifice himself in a heartbeat if it meant one of us carrying the cure to Arl Hiruzen…"

"Would he?" the being inquires and then takes a step toward the chasm.

Sakura makes a panicked noise in her throat, unable to speak, and Kakashi steps forward as well. "Stop! He is not the one you intend to test, I am. I will take his place if a life is what is required. And it would suit you better, would it not? Demons such as yourself prefer mages anyhow."

Naruto's chuckle is dry and dozy. "So, you know what I am. Well. Why should I argue when a mage offers himself so willingly?

There is a sound like wind rushing and Naruto's eyes become less hazy. He remains frozen in place but is now aware enough to watch Kakashi's eyes go blank as the demon takes possession.

Sasuke mentally curses, damning the mage for putting them all at risk by allowing a demon to enter his body, but then he sees Kakashi's body tense. He staggers, then takes a laborious step forward, heading for the edge of the chasm.

 _He is going to throw himself off_ , Sasuke realises. Sakura and Naruto make noises as if they were screaming if their mouths could unclench.

To their horror, Kakashi takes the last step into the abyss—

Only for his foot to come down on solid stone as a giant column materialises before him. Kakashi's body relaxes, loose like an unwound puppet, and a voice whispers in the dark.

 _"In sacrifice, you have defeated Sloth and found Valour. Carry it with you always when cowardice and complacence would reign."_

And then silence permeates the cavern once more.

Kakashi takes a laborious breath and glances back at them where they are frozen.

"Do not worry," he says. "I understand what this is. I faced something similar in my Harrowing."

"Yes, but this time it's not your own life on the line, is it, mage?" Sasuke sneers, momentarily startled that he can speak again.

Except it is not his voice.

It is lower and sharper, filled with a simmering fury that appears to suffuse every part of him. Literally. He is burning hot. He can see the surrounding air vibrating as if he stands within a pyre.

"That's the way it always is, though," he continues, or rather, the _thing_ using his mouth does. "Stand in the background, the one that causes the pain and misery and destruction, and then act like a victim when it's done."

"Ah, this would be Rage, then?" Kakashi wonders, a vein near his temple twitching.

"You know it well, don't you?" the raging force within Sasuke says. "It boils inside you whenever anyone like _this_ one opens his mouth. When they speak of the sins of your kind, the _truths_. Because deep down, you _know_ it's true."

There is a poisonous certainty in his words that makes Sasuke's blood boil, each syllable making his heartrate increase. He longs to move so he could grab his bow, wants to lash out.

"I do not, because it is not," Kakashi says. "And whatever people distrust about mages, I believe they can learn anew."

"But why would they bother taking such a risk? The moment they're free, mages'll make themselves magisters. They face demons and accept their offers, killing children to show off at _parties_. They should all be made tranquil slaves, sent to towers to be beaten and starved and r—"

"Enough!" Kakashi barks, and though his eyes spark, his tone remains measured. "You believe his anger is something to latch on to? I bid you, direct it at me and see how you fare."

"Gladly," the demon snarls, and something punches out of Sasuke, the violent heat vanishing as quickly as it came. He suspects his knees might give out if whatever magical force keeps him standing were not in place.

The demon enters Kakashi, who screams in pain and something else. Veins radiate outward from his eyes, and cracks seem to burst out beneath his skin, as if light were trying to push its way through. His eyes burn a bright, scarlet red.

"I will not…punish others…for their fears," he grunts. "Otherwise…I become what they think…I am!" He throws himself back, away from his immobilised companions, clutching at his head as he battles the demon there. "And you forget…demon. I am not…in here…with you. You…are in here…with _me_!"

He falls forward on all fours, red tongues of flame exuding from his body, and then with a final scream, the surrounding air explodes into light. Another section of the path forms before him as he does so.

Once more, the ethereal voice whispers in the dark.

" _You have overcome Rage, and in doing so, discovered the path to Justice. Do not lose sight of the enemy or you will become it."_

"Two down," Kakashi pants, pulling himself to his feet and once more facing his companions. His attention falls on Sakura. "And what is it you would try to offer, demon?"

"Nothing you don't want more than anything," Sakura replies, but in a lower, breathier voice than Sasuke has ever heard. It makes his mouth go dry and his palms sweat even though the sheer unnaturalness of it sends a chill up his spine. It eradicates any of the leftover fire within him. "What _every_ mage secretly wants, more than any bit of power."

"And that is?"

"Not to be alone," the creature wearing Sakura's face purrs. "And _that_ is something easily rectified."

Kakashi seems to recoil. "If _that_ is what you offer, you have gravely misread the situation."

"Oh, come now, _Kakashi-sensei_ ," 'Sakura' hums. "We both know who you see whenever you look at me. I make you remember…make you _wish_ …" She trails off with a coy giggle here. "I can give her to you, you know. Or…I can _be_ her." She licks her lips. "Let me give you what you seek, Kakashi-sensei. What you _long_ for."

Sasuke's eyes fly toward Kakashi, expecting to see his usual impassive expression, or casual denial.

But for a moment, there is a flicker in his eyes. As if he is—briefly—considering the ramifications.

It is gone just as quick, so fast Sasuke is sure he imagined it, and then Kakashi takes a step forward.

"There are others who need what you offer more than I," Kakashi says stiffly. "The woman you speak of, she held the heart of a man who, without her, would be more lost and dangerous than anything imaginable. More than that, he would be broken. I could not live knowing I had done that to my best friend." He pauses, eyes flitting to Sasuke as if his next words meant for him, and goes on, "I will not take from others only to benefit myself. And neither would the one you inhabit. She makes a poor host, I think."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," the demon runs her hands down Sakura's body, and brushing against the curves hidden by armour. "There's so much _yearning_ stewing here. It would keep me entertained for years."

"Then just imagine what a longing that can never be requited might offer you," Kakashi suggests. "It would prove a more enticing challenge, do you not agree?"

"Oh, you're amusing. I shall enjoy playing with your mind," the demon murmurs. She gives a low, uncharacteristic giggle, and then Sakura's entire body jolts, as if she was hit by electricity.

The purple haze surrounding her rushes at Kakashi, who shudders as it enters his body. He remains still for the longest time, head and shoulders thrown back as if he is being hung by his rib cage, and then he crumples to his feet again.

"The thing is…" Kakashi mumbles. "I…made my peace with this…a long time ago…In case I forgot to…mention…"

His body emits yet another burst of light and goes still.

 _"In the face of Desire and what she might offer, you cling to Compassion. Guard this in times of pain and hardship."_

The third part of the path materialises, and in the same moment, Sasuke senses his invisible bonds sever. He, Naruto and Sakura stagger, suddenly expected to hold up their weight.

"What the hell was that?" Naruto demands, shaking out his arms and legs.

"Demons," Sasuke growls, his voice raw. "Spirits meant to test the mage."

"Ugh, I feel so violated. And my throat tastes like I drank a vat of molasses or…animal fat. What about you, Sakura? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she says—rather abruptly, too, and in a higher voice than normal. "What about Sasuke? I mean, he was on fire."

"Yeah, but he's always so angry anyway, it was hard to even tell…"

Sasuke studies her, confused at her behaviour and wondering if the change is a remnant of the demon which had her. But when he catches her eye, she turns pink and looks away.

 _Embarrassment_ , he realises, though he does not understand why. They were each of them possessed, and yet they are fine, barring a few lingering side-effects. Sasuke still feels like he has sustained burns _inside_ his skin from the Rage demon. And Sakura, she _was_ possessed by a Desire demon, so it would stand to reason she might feel a little—

The penny drops.

 _Oh._

"So that's it?" Naruto is asking, wandering toward the edge of the bridge; the others follow, with Sakura maintaining a conspicuous distance for Sasuke and refusing to look Kakashi in the eye. "What a cheat! Those demons took us over and didn't even finish the damn bridge when they left!"

"This distance isn't much," Sakura observes. "You could cross easily, Kakashi. Or build a bridge of ice." She peeks at him, looking guilty and apologetic, but he offers a small shake of the head; she had no control over the words spoken by the demon. "Perhaps even conjure a blast of magic to send one of us over?"

Kakashi turns his attention back to the bridge.

"I could," he muses. Then he blinks, and a slow smile appears on his face, "but I will not."

"Huh? How come?" Naruto asks.

"Because of the cost if I were to fail and lose one of you."

"That is an unusual remark for someone usually so confident in their skills," Sasuke points out.

"Perhaps. But I think it better to retrace our steps and see what we can do together rather than sacrifice what has already been gained on the overestimation of my abilities."

He has barely finished the sentence when there is a thunderous crack, and the final part of the path locks into place.

 _"Many a man falls prey to Pride, but only one who knows Wisdom can defeat it."_

"Are you kidding?" Naruto demands. "That was the last test?"

"Mages are notorious for their pride," Kakashi explains. "Most who succumb to demons and become abominations? It is Pride which fells them. I learned this the hard way when I was young. I pity myself the day I fall for it again."

He considers them each, and he might be smiling at them beneath his mask. Sasuke shifts, a strange, not-quiet comfortable sensation welling within him; he hesitates to call it relief.

"Come on," he says out loud instead. "Let us cross the rest of this damn thing before it disappears again."

"And get ready," Sakura agrees as they head for the door, "because there's one test left. And I think we know who it's for."

"Aw, damn it…" Naruto complains.

TBC

* * *

Translation:

 _Harrowing_ – Ritual which mages undergo in the Fade to ensure they can control their magic; those who can't are executed by the Templars

 _Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated._

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	16. Chapter Sixteen

The room where they must face the final trial is smaller than the last, but grander in a way. The sweeping ceiling is decorated with stone mosaics; ancient, solemn statues hold court in tiny alcoves hewn into the walls. At the other end of the chamber, Sasuke can make out a final staircase that leads to a raised platform. Any other details are obscured by a wall of flame that bisects the room.

The line stretches from the right wall to the left, with no break in it to slip through. The flames themselves rise twice as high as Sasuke's head and give off such a punishing heat that even standing in the archway, he begins to sweat. Several feet in front of the flaming curtain, they find a low, crude altar, little more than a dusty slab blackened by the flames.

Carefully, they approach. Sasuke winces as they get closer, the heat searing his skin even from a distance. Only Sakura seems unbothered, and she busies herself with studying the pedestal from all angles.

"I don't see anything that can stop the flames," she says, "There's something carved here, though." She squints. "I can't read it. The language isn't one I know."

"Let me," Kakashi says, and takes her place. "Ah, that is an old common dialect from the Suna Empire. Not something you would find in most linguistic books."

"But you can read it?"

"Yes."

"Just like that?" Sasuke asks, sceptical.

"It is always good to have hobbies," Kakashi returns, and refocuses on what to Sasuke seems like meaningless scratches in the surface. "' _Cast off the trappings of worldly life and cloak yourself in the goodness of spirit. King and slave, lord and beggar, be born anew in the Goddess sight_.'"

"What's that mean?" Naruto asks.

"You do not understand? It is another riddle," Sasuke returns.

"Sakura?"

"Read it again, Kakashi?" she asks, and the mage does so. She frowns in contemplation. "Hm. It's a lot vaguer than the ones I answered before. And if I'm wrong, I think the consequences would be worse than a few wraiths."

Sasuke eyes the wall of flame. "More Rage demons?"

He is not keen to face that overwhelming, burning anger again so soon.

"No, I don't think so…"

"Why can't they ever just say, 'go to this place, here's the urn, use it wisely'?" Naruto bemoans.

"' _Cast off the trappings of worldly life'_ …they can't mean to die, can they?" Sakura wonders. "Or maybe you have to be willing to die…?"

"We've all already proven that though!"

"Or perhaps it's a _literal_ directive," Sakura suggests. "It wouldn't be the first time an ancient spell was verbatim."

"Ah," Kakashi nods and quips, _"Speak, friend, and enter_."

"Right!"

Sasuke and Naruto exchange looks of confusion; it must be some dwarven myth. Though he does not understand what they are referring to, their meaning at least makes sense.

"So, when you mean _literally_ cast off the trappings, you mean…"

Naruto's eyes go wide, and he emits a startled guffaw. "Take off our clothes?!"

"It would seem so."

"Hah! Okay, Sakura, after you— _ow!"_

Sasuke is not even aware of his hand snapping out and slapping the other man upside the head. When Sakura raises an eyebrow at him, half-amused and half questioning, he explains, "I was closer than you were."

"My hero," she deadpans.

"He is," Kakashi muses. "If _you_ had gravely injured Naruto, we would have to wait an inordinate amount of time for him to recover so he could undergo this trial."

"Hah! Good point."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto whines, looking at them each with an injured expression. As they gaze back at him in meaningful silence, it dawns on him.

Naruto blinks, frowns, and then goes pale with panic. "No! No _way_ am I stripping down to my dangly bits and get them burnt them off! Can't you feel how hot that fire is, even from here?!"

"Oh, but it was fine when you wanted me to do it?" Sakura counters.

"You are the Templar, _felasil_ —"

"Templar _trained!_ I never technically took my vows, so—"

"And all of this is to save the man who raised you," Kakashi reminds him. "None of us are as well-suited to this task as you."

"Besides, the rest of us have already faced our tests, so for once in your life stop clinging to Sakura's coattails and take some initiative," Sasuke growls.

Naruto makes a face at him. "Says the guy who _didn't_ have to walk through fire! And hey, it could mean you as much as it means me!"

"No, it can't," Sakura replies. "' _King and slave, lord and beggar'_. You're the only one that description fits."

"I'm not king!"

" _Yet_. But you are meant for it by birth. None of us can say the same. And as a Warden, you're a slave to the Blight, like me. You're a lord, again, by birth. As for beggar…you told me what it was like to grow up in Uzushiogakure when Arl Hiruzen wasn't looking out for you. You slept in a barn."

"I told you that in confidence!"

"Would you grow a pair already?" Sasuke snaps.

Naruto glowers.

After a long spell of mutual glaring, though, his cheeks puff out in exasperation, and he growls, " _Fine_!"

And marches toward the flames.

"But no peeking!" He removes his bracers. "And if I burn to death doing this, I'm coming back to haunt all of you." He unclasps his chest-plate. "Think about it! You'll be trying to get up to naughty things, and I'll pop up—ass-naked and oozing burns—and dance the Remigold in front of you. No! _Through_ you! Because I'll be a ghost…just watch." He reaches for the drawstring of his pants and Sasuke makes a noise of disgust. "Oh, shut up, pointy-ears, you _wish_ you were as buff as me."

"Not if it meant taking a penalty to my intelligence," Sasuke retorts, turning away from the unwanted sight of the human stripping himself. His comment earns an elbow to his side from Sakura, but she is busy fighting back giggles, so he does not think she means it.

"…fucking ridiculous," Naruto continues to complain. "When we get back to Arl Hiruzen's estate and all the others, no one says a word about this, got it? We'll say I fought an army of darkspawn or had to eat a hundred wheels of cheese or something. Something that is _not_ me walking around in my nameday suit."

The last sounds of armour and cloth hitting the floor echoes throughout the chamber, and he sighs. "You guys owe me _so_ much noodle soup after this. I swear."

When they turn around, he has his back to them and is, as befitting of his complaints, stark naked. It is way more of Naruto's pasty white arse than Sasuke has ever wanted to see, and even Sakura seems to be trying to look everywhere except their companion.

Kakashi clears his throat, like he is stifling an inappropriate bout of laughter, and forces himself to remain sombre. "Careful, Naruto."

The words force Sasuke to focus. If this goes wrong, the bastard prince of Konoha is about to die a very painful, very humiliating death.

"Right…here goes nothing," Naruto says, squaring his shoulders and stepping toward the fire.

The rest of them hold a collective breath as he enters the blaze inferno—and then vanishes in an explosive plume of flame. The wall of fire explodes in force, roaring higher than before, and Sakura gasps, hands flying to her mouth.

"Naruto!"

Kakashi makes an aborted move forward, and even Sasuke physically jolts in disbelief. He did not expect that.

 _The poor bastard did not even have time to call out!_

Then there's a shout from beyond the flames. "Hey, guys! I'm okay!"

They cannot see him through the thick billowing smoke, but no pain laces his words.

"Oh, thank the Stone," Sakura breathes.

"That could have gone so much worse," Kakashi murmurs, passing a hand down the front of his face in relief.

"And there's some kind of switch over here," Naruto's distant voice continues. "Give me a second…" There's an echoing metallic _click_ , and then the wall of flame simmers down, before parting in the middle. A path wide enough for their group to walk through emerges. "You guys should come through—and bring my damn pants!"

Kakashi chuckles and reaches for Naruto's gear.

They lead the way through the path of flame to find Naruto standing on the other side, grinning and rubbing at his nose with pride. There is no sign of burns or anything on him, and that is _more_ than plain with the amount of flesh on display.

"Cover up, would you?" Sasuke barks as Kakashi tosses him his gear while Sakura determinedly turns around.

"Five minutes ago, you all wanted me naked…make up your minds," Naruto complains, but accepts his clothing.

"Look!" Sakura says, pointing at something beyond Naruto. The staircase Sasuke noticed earlier is easier to discern now. It leads to another level of the room, upon which they find a raised platform. Light beams down from an unknown overhead source, falling upon the stone table in the centre.

Upon that, an urn.

"You have been through the trials of the Gauntlet," a familiar voice intones, and they all turn in surprise to see the Guardian again. He wanders through the gap in the flames, which rise again behind him, once more barring the way. "You have all walked the path of Kaguya, and like her you have been cleansed. You have proven yourselves worthy, pilgrims. And so, I bid you, approach."

He gestures for the stairs, and the four comrades exchange looks. Together, they climb the steps until they reach the dais and the ancient urn upon it.

"Well," Sakura says after a time, still gazing upon their prize. "We did it."

"I thought no one could find Kaguya's final resting place, let alone her ashes," Naruto breathes. "But…but here she is."

"I may not believe in the teachings of her followers, but her importance to history is not negligible," Kakashi says. "It is my honour to be here."

" _Tch_." Sasuke crosses his arms. "You humans have such odd traditions…storing your dead in a pot. It is not natural."

But he still feels an odd chill creeping up his back as he stares down at the ashes of the _shemlen_ woman. This woman who was a friend to the _Elvhen_ even when her followers would turn them into homeless wanderers.

Naruto approaches the urn, and lifts the lid with reverence; reaching inside, he takes a pinch of ash between his thumb and fingers, and with care, deposits it in a vial that Sakura hands him.

"Here, you carry it," he tells Sakura. "You're less likely than me to lose it."

"I'm also the most likely to be attacked and have it ruined," Sakura counters. "Kakashi or Sasuke should take it. They'll protect it." She offers the hard-won prize to Sasuke, who deliberates for a moment, before accepting it and slipping it into his pouch pocket.

"Great!" Naruto cheers, punching the air. "Now, let's get off this mountain and go heal Arl Hiruzen with the ashes!" He turns on his heal, then pauses, staring at the wall of flame. "Heeey. How are we supposed to get out of here, anyway? Ancient Spirit-Guy? Where are you?"

They are once more alone in the chamber.

"It seems we are meant to exit through that door," Kakashi says, pointing to a small, cramped looking opening at the edge of the room. "But take a moment to make sure you have all your gear put on again. You will not wish to get frostbite on anything important…"

"Ugh, don't even joke…"

Sakura watches them head for the door, smiling in satisfaction. "D'you think all this will be worth it in the end?"

"It may be so," Sasuke says, his eyes are on her when he says it.

She glances back at him then, and he cannot hide his face from her before she does. Whatever she sees causes her lips to part in surprise then, a blush of red spreading across her cheeks.

Sasuke does not bother hiding his smirk.

"I-I…uh…come on," she says, clearing her throat, a bit awkward. "I bet it'll be faster going down the mountain than climbing it. With luck, we might even make it without running into anymore dragons."

"I would appreciate a cooked meal for once," Sasuke admits, falling into step behind her.

"And a bath!" Sakura chirps." Oh, what I wouldn't give for a bath…and a bed! There are _so_ many great things about a bed, don't you agree, Sasuke-kun?"

She side-eyes him then, and there is something heavy in the way she says _you_ that makes him deliberate before answering.

"I am sure there are," he says, as neutral as he can manage.

He suspects some of his thoughts are visible in his eyes, though, because the way Sakura's eyes gleam in the torchlight suggest surprise…and approval. He expects her to say something to that; no doubt brazen dwarven innuendo or outright invitation.

Instead, she straightens her back and says, "Well, all this talking isn't getting us there any faster. Come on, before the other two leave us behind!"

And then she darts forward through the heavy door, leaving Sasuke blinking at her back, wondering if he missed something.

TBC

* * *

 _Felasil –_ fool, idiot, literally "slow mind"

 _Shemlen –_ quick children; derogatory slang for non-Dalish, usually in reference to humans

 _Elvhen_ – The elven people

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	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Author's Note:** This chapter is dedicated to my dear deeppoeticgirl who isn't having such a great day. Hopefully this makes you smile a bit today! Hence the early update ^_^

* * *

"Are you kidding me?" Naruto demands as the final door out of the temple opens on a spiralling stone staircase leading downward. It is lit by torches and nothing else. "We could have skipped all the freezing and the trials and just come in the back of the temple and gotten the ashes _that_ way?"

"That would probably defeat the purpose of making a pilgrimage," Kakashi reminds him. "These things are meant to test you."

"Yeah, but one of those scenarios involved me with my clothes _on_."

"We are all very aware of that, thank you," Sasuke mutters.

It is a slow procession that descends the slippery, and sometimes crumbling, stairwell.

"Is it possible to get to the Deep Roads from here?" Sasuke wonders. "An underground route to Iwa might be more convenient for us than going around."

"If there is, it wouldn't be safe," Sakura replies. "Not that the Deep Roads are _ever_ safe, but there's a difference between ten darkspawn and ten thousand."

"Yeah, we learned _that_ the hard way," Naruto mutters with a palpable shiver.

Much to their chagrin, though their journey through the centre of the mountain is less dangerous than their trek upwards, it takes longer. There is nowhere along the way down for them to stop, and along the lone trek downward, moods and tempers fray.

They are all of them relieved when after half a day if walking, the ground levels out and leads to a narrow mining shaft. Fresh, cool air beckons beyond them. Though the sun appears to be setting, it still provides enough light to guide them out of a small path at the base of the mountain.

Once they are all safely back outside, the tiny doorway they came through shifts and fuses back up, rocks and stones drawing together seamlessly. If they had not walked through it, Sasuke would not know the entrance was even there.

"And that is why we could not have taken the back way up even if we wanted to," Kakashi tells Naruto. "Dwarven doors are invisible when closed."

"Yeah, yeah…"

The based of the Three Wolves Mountain is still cold and dreary, but it is not as dismal as the summit. Naruto wants to head for Uzushiogakure at once, but Sakura puts her foot down.

"I'm having a bath and real food and an actual bed for once," she insists. "It's been a week of pretending we don't hear each other pee, I _need_ a night of privacy."

Sasuke makes a noise of agreement. After getting off the blighted mountain top, he wants a warm meal and the ability to scrub the blood from his various nooks and crannies. Perhaps Naruto was raised in a stable and likes the dirt, but Sasuke and his people have always been fastidiously clean.

To soothe Naruto's grumbling, they do end up heading toward Arl Hiruzen's castle. Still, the four of them keep an eye out for settlements in the area which might offer a place to stop.

As they walk, Sasuke realises Sakura has fallen into step beside him, while Naruto and Kakashi somehow linger farther and farther behind them. Wondering if it is on purpose, Sasuke makes the mistake of glancing at Sakura out of the corner of his eyes, noticing that she is doing the same.

Her cheeks turn red and she looks away.

"What?"

"Nothing," she says quickly. "I was just…I wondered if you're alright."

Sasuke makes a face. "You always ask me that. Do I seem feeble to you?"

"What? No! That's not—it's just, I get the sense that people never asked you that much."

"I am not a child that requires reassurance at every turn."

"I didn't say you were." Sakura makes a face. "Is it so hard to believe I care about your well-being because…just because?"

He does not respond, not wanting to point out that beyond being hard to understand, it is illogical to him. In his view, he has done nothing to call for such an interest.

"I know you pretend like this was some silly mission or quest or _thing_ to get out of the way," she goes on, "and more trouble than it was worth. But what happened up there affected you."

" _Tch_!"

"I _saw_ you in that chamber when we fought those doppelgängers," she insists. She lowers her voice with a surreptitious glance back to where Naruto and Kakashi bring of the rear of their little procession. "I didn't mention it because the others were so close by, but I wanted to. It unnerved you to hurt us. Even if it wasn't _really_ us."

"Is that something you saw?" he sneers, but there is little bite to it.

"Yes, it is," she insists stubbornly. "You know why? Because I think you've developed a soft spot for us."

"Then you are not as observant as you think you are."

"Aren't I? Because you seemed upset."

"I wasn't upset about that."

 _I was upset because it was you_.

Sakura groans in frustration. "You know what? Fine. You weren't upset about that. You're not upset now."

"Right."

"Oh, and while we're at it, let's pretend you're not full of sod, why don't we?" she goes on. "Because it seems that's easier than coming out and _saying_ it. With words and everything."

Sasuke blinks, wondering if he has missed something. "Saying what?"

Sakura sighs and shakes her head, shoulders slumping forward. "Never mind. Here I was, figuring we'd gotten past this… _this_. But we haven't. So, tomorrow's another day, but right now I…oh, forget it!"

And she stomps forward, putting an impressive distance between the two of them considering someone whose legs are much shorter.

Sasuke stares after her, feeling as dazed as he was when hit in the face with Naruto's doppelgänger's shield.

"Is there a rule about women not making sense?" he asks out loud to no one in particular.

"Under normal circumstances, yes," Kakashi answers, appearing by his side as if summoned. "But I think in this case, it is you being an idiot." Sasuke shoots him an unimpressed side-eye. "I have never seen anyone so bad at reading the signals. That is saying something, considering you supposedly a high-and-mighty, observant assassin."

"I fail to see the correlation."

"I always heard the assassins trained in Oto were adept in many skills—especially body language and seduction."

"You read too many novels," Sasuke grumbles, tips of his ears burning, because under normal circumstances, it is true. "And I can read signals fine."

"No, you can't," Naruto pipes up, appearing on Sasuke's other side with a teasing expression on his face. "Because even _I_ noticed it this whole trip. She's practically been demanding that you…lick her lamppost, if you get my meaning."

He wiggles his eyebrows and shoots Sasuke a filthy grin which Sasuke retaliates against by lashing out with his foot, tripping the human.

"Bastard!" Naruto chokes through a mouth full of ice and snow.

"Your response is a lot more telling than what he was implying," Kakashi points out.

"Think what you want," Sasuke grunts. "The situation is more complicated than either of you fools make it out to be."

"Complicated? Is it? I do not see how it can be more so than say…threading a needle?"

Sasuke narrows his eyes at the older man, considering the merit of knocking the mage into the snow next.

"I am simply making a suggestion," Kakashi continues, unbothered by the unspoken threat in the air. "Take a bit of advice from someone who waited far too long to act and missed out on one of the few comforts this brief life affords us."

"When I want your opinion, I will ask for it."

"You will _not_."

"No, I will not."

At least they can agree on that.

"Hey! Guys, look!" Sakura calls from up ahead. She is standing on a small hill rise, pointing at something on the horizon. "There's a town ahead! It looks nice and big—I bet they have a traveller's inn!"

"And they will no doubt charge a pretty penny for it when they see the desperate state we are in," Kakashi remarks. "If they are full up, and she wants a room of her own, the three of us will have to share quarters again.

"First one gets his own room!" Naruto shouts, now recovered from his trip in the snow and shoving past Sasuke and Kakashi.

"Halfwit," Sasuke mutters under his breath, but he takes off after him.

They shoot past a bemused Sakura, who shouts after them—something about short legs and injustice—but Sasuke is too busy overtaking Naruto to care. He exploits every degree of natural light-footedness to speed past the human, not stopping until he reaches the village. He feels no guilt over it, either—a room to himself is a luxury he has not had in a while.

There are a few odd looks in his direction—he is a Dalish elf, and clearly the settlement is human—but he ignores them. Soon, he finds the nearest guesthouse and makes a beeline for it.

As it turns out, there was no need for the contest (despite his own inexplicable satisfaction at beating Naruto) because the inn is all-but empty. The innkeeper informs him there have been no travellers through this part of the kingdom all season. For a modest sum, Sasuke can get four separate rooms for their party.

Ten minutes later, the others arrive, Naruto panting and swearing at him about cheating, while Sakura and Kakashi stroll in afterward.

"You're both idiots," Sakura informs them. He thinks she is just bitter she could not keep up with either of them even if she tried.

The innkeeper's wife takes one horrified look at Sakura—her weapons and gear stained with more blood than any of the others—and declares, "Oh, you poor thing! Let's get you out of that mess and into a hot bath."

Which instantly makes Sakura break into the most delighted smile, her earlier irritation gone.

The innkeeper is not so coddling, grunting that there is a hogshead out back for them to use to wash. Then he heads upstairs to stoke the fires in their rooms.

"It's fucking freezing!" Naruto complains. "Why don't we get a nice hot bath?"

"Because we are manly men," Kakashi replies, no trace of a joke in his voice. "And _some_ of us might need a cold wash anyhow."

Sasuke ignores him. He does not mind the temperature too much at the moment, too pleased at cleaning his skin of the dried blood and viscera. His gear is not in as poor condition as Naruto's anyhow, considering he did not slice open a Bronto and practically bathe in its innards.

Whatever momentary discomfort he endures cleaning himself in the frigid yard is worth it. W

hen he enters the dining area, one of the serving wenches puts a plate of mulled cider and a hank of roasted rams' meat in front of him. Animal flesh was never his preferred diet growing up, but occasional bursts of starvation have made him appreciative of most food, whatever its origin. Sasuke offers a silent prayer to Andruil for whatever successful hunt brought him this food and tucks in with gusto. For once he is too busy indulging in his own meal to note Naruto's sloppy chewing or Kakashi's increasing inebriation.

At a later point, Sakura joins them, no longer clad in her thick armour but in a dress that looks to have been borrowed from their hostess. It is too long for her, spilling to the floor, and too tight across the bosom. Sasuke tells himself he only noticed this because the garment makes it impossible to hide a weapon, not because of the sight it offers him of her cleavage.

The fact he chokes on his cider when she sits down beside him means nothing.

The serving girl comes by, offering a second helping of supper, and he declines. Days of living on road have shrunken his stomach, and if he eats too much, he will spend the next few hours vomiting and shitting in the snow. Or worse.

(He is confident that is Naruto's more immediate fate).

"Perhaps later?" she suggests, her black eyes trying to telegraph something to him. "I'll be working at my chores late, I could…bring it to your room?"

He is vaguely aware of Sakura stiffening beside him but does not know why. He waves the woman away.

"Do not make more work for yourself, I doubt you are well-paid for it," he replies, standing and preparing to head upstairs. His exhaustion has caught up to him while he was sitting. "My needs have been well-seen to."

He almost misses the way her eyes flit between him and Sakura.

"Oh! I see. Well then, pay no attention to me," she says, sounding nervous for whatever reason. "Goodnight, ser."

Sasuke frowns at her departing back and looks to Sakura. "Did I miss something?"

She looks like she is fighting down a smile.

"If you're asking _me_ if you've missed something, you're more tired than you look."

That makes a strange sort of sense, and he nods. "Good night."

"I hope it will be," she replies, which has him frowning and puzzling his entire way up to bed. Though he blames his confusion on the fact his eyes kept straying to the low scoop of her collar.

His tiny, private room is little more than a bed and a washbasin, but there is a tiny grate with a crackling fire that offer him a comforting warmth. The cot has a thick featherbed and well-insulated windows to keep out the cold.

It is a matter of minutes to divest himself of his clothes and slip into bed, placing his weapons within easy reach. It is a matter of seconds before he succumbs to a deep and dreamless sleep.

Only to awake with a violent start an indeterminable amount of time later.

The room is dark except for a trickle of moonlight from beyond the closed shutters. For a heartbeat, he is lost, torn from the heaviness of sleep, but his hand reflexively clenches around the dagger beneath his pillow.

 _Someone is here_.

A split second before he can rise and hurl the dagger at the intruder, there is a whisper in the darkness.

"Sasuke-kun?"

It is Sakura.

He loosens his grip on the blade and eases up, his eyes seeking the familiar form of the Warden. The scarce light in his room is more than enough for him to make a detailed study of her form.

His first instinct is to confirm that she is not injured or in distress. (No midnight attack by enemies, then, which has happened before.) A beat later, he notices there is something open about her in the dark. Something he does not think is entirely because she's exchanged her usual thick armour for a borrowed woollen nightdress.

There is vulnerability in the way she clutches at the rough downy blanket around her shoulders, her eyes shining at him with something akin to doubt.

"What is it?" he asks, the demand coming out harsher than he intends. But the closer she gets, the faster his heart beats.

Sakura does not offer an answer, instead stepping toward him in the dark before perching on the side of his bed. She continues to watch him, careful and evaluating, opens her mouth to speak, and closes it as if she forgot the words. Then, she bites down on her lip, hesitant, and tilts her head to study him again.

Sasuke bristles, not used to her lack of forthrightness. It bothers him, seeing her so uncertain and… timid? It goes against what he knows of her. Worse are the unspoken words, hanging there in the air and taunting him with the vast possibility of what they could be. He hates being curious and unprepared, and she is one who excels in making him so.

"Why—?" he begins, only to be cut off when she ducks her head forward and presses her lips against his.

It is a chaste caress, almost a whisper in its delicateness, but he feels as if he has been turned to stone. Thoughts stagger and vanish, a charge like electricity arcing through his body. He does not even dare to breathe as the world narrows to the sensation of her skin touching his and the flutter of her breath against his cheek.

The seconds stretch like days, and she pulls away again. Her cheeks are flushed, and her eyes continue to gleam at him in the moonlight, though now he can better interpret what is there.

Warmth. Fear. Determination. Desire.

And a question.

She does not speak it though.

At first, he thinks she dreads his answer, especially given her uncharacteristic apprehension.

Then he realises her silence is an _offer_.

She has come here for a purpose, one which he suspects is somehow not so obvious as the kiss she bestowed upon him, but even more significant. Yet instead of giving voice to that, she waits for his reaction.

He knows that if he were to turn away now, offer his back to her and her proposition, she would disappear from his room and speak no more of this. They can go back to the way of things tomorrow, and when their quest is over, part as only comrades in arms. In the same way he knows if he continues, she will accept whatever restrictions he requires. Even if it is only for tonight.

More terrifying than both options is the third. That if he chooses her—if he says the word, she will bind herself to his side much longer than a night.

On any other woman, he might see this as desperation, a willingness to take whatever scrap of attention he might deign to offer her. But he knows _this_ woman, and desperation is not a brush with which she can be tarred.

As uncertain as she may be right now, watching for his reaction, her demeanour is calm and accepting. It is a resigned peace Sasuke cannot remember ever experiencing. And there is something else, something in her gaze he does not think he is ready to understand, but finds he _wants_.

Perhaps something of that shows in his expression because her eyes soften incrementally and a smile curls at her lips.

She leans forward again, once more pressing her mouth to his, but this time it is more than a whispered hint of what could be. There is substance and force, a resistance that is both a challenge and an invitation. Sasuke allows himself only one more second of hesitation before returning the kiss.

つづく

Translation:

 _Andruil_ – the huntress; elven goddess of the hunt

* * *

 _So, the next chapter is meant to contain a long NSFW scene; I don't post smut on ffnet because I know there are a lot of underage readers, and I don't want to get reported or blocked or something. So the full sexy times chapter can be found either on my AO3 account or tumblr, but the next chapter here will be the immediate aftermath._

 _Thanks for understanding!_

 ** **栗****


	18. Chapter Nineteen

AN: A NSFW chapter has been omitted here, so if you feel like reading that, you can find it on Archive of Our Own or tumblr. Otherwise, here is a perfectly PG chapter to finish the story :)

* * *

Some immeasurable time afterward they lie in a tangle of arms and legs, a stray bit of blanket caught between and under them. The smell of sweat and sex permeates the room, but where it might have bothered him before, Sasuke is surprised to find he does not mind.

He surprises himself even more when he is the one to break the silence.

"That was…unexpected," he ventures.

Sakura giggles, pushing herself up onto her elbow. "Really? All the foreplay up on the mountain and you think it's unexpected?"

"Foreplay?" he repeats, the meaning of the word not connecting to anything they have done before this. He takes a moment to understand to what she is referring. The realisation that Sakura has been as affected by watching him in battle as he was by her makes him smirk. "If that is the case, I am surprised you did not have your way with me the night we met."

"I didn't think it would be well-received," she replies dryly, and they both know she's right. She sighs, and curls into him, legs twining around his own. "Mmmm, your _fingers_. I've been _imagining_ what those could do when they're not stringing a bow…"

Sasuke makes a face at the lewd tone but experiences a distant curiosity as to what his fingers might accomplish in the future.

Supposing there is one.

He dislikes speaking about such matters, but there is a world of complication that might ensue if they do not. Still, he is not sure the best way to raise the matter. Sakura is usually the more direct about these things, and yet she seems more content right now to trace invisible patterns across his chest and arms with her index finger.

He is tempted to let her.

But the sooner he knows the particulars of this sudden change in status, the sooner he will know if that's a possibility.

"This is likely an unwise course of action," he points out after several minutes of reluctant attempts to speak. "You have a Blight to stop. Distraction is not helpful at the moment."

"Well, if I'm distracting you, you're not as focussed a man as you pretend to be," she teases. "For shame, oh great Dalish warrior."

He shoots her an annoyed look out of the corner of his eye, making her laugh and sigh.

"I want to be happy," she mumbles, "while we can. It won't be easy, ending the Blight, destroying the archdemon…not to mention whatever political shitfest we get caught up in while doing it. It's likely one or both of us could end up dead before it's all over."

"I thought you were an optimist."

"I am…but I also believe in having a backup plan. Any dwarf who grew up casteless would," she tells him. "I aim to enjoy myself however I can until the big dust-up." She trails her hand down his chest. "And enjoy you."

Sasuke frowns at this. "So, this is…enjoyment."

That implication bothers him more than it should.

"You sound unsure. But I'm confident there was _some_ enjoyment on your end," she purrs.

"That is not in question," he dismisses. "I would, however, question what significance our joining has to you. What is this meant to be?"

She goes tense.

"This is…whatever you want it to be," she says, but he catches a cautious note in her voice. "I realise that you have…commitments that may be at odds with anything I might want."

Sasuke processes this and then sits up abruptly. The movement displaces her hands and causes her to fall to one side. He frowns down at her for a moment, studying her tightly schooled features, and then smirks.

"You have been playing the Warden too long," he tells her. "You are so used to walking the line of compromise to win allies and support, you no longer know how to answer a direct question. It is a pity—that dwarven forthrightness of yours is one of your best qualities."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demands, sitting up as well. She pulls the blanket up to cover herself, the modest gesture at odds with her usual confidence.

Sasuke shakes his head. "I have no stomach for talking circles around one another. You have feelings for me—and they go beyond our tryst here tonight."

The colour drains from her face, and her eyes flash with a tiny flare of panic. "I—"

"And I have no patience for the casual dalliances that others in our party might prefer," he continues. He allows her a moment to process this, and then continues in a somewhat softer voice. "It is true that it is better for us to avoid sentiment, especially in pursuit of our goals. But I am not one to deny a truth apparent to both of us. If I did not feel something for you, tonight would not have happened. Which you knew, or you would not have sought me out."

"I…hoped," she admits shyly.

Sasuke snorts. "It is inconvenient. It might have been better if we avoided this, but what us done is done. The past cannot be changed, or so I have learned."

"Would you?"

"Would I what?"

"Change what we did?"

"We have established that for once this is about what _you_ want," he replies. "What future do you envision, Warden?"

And though the question is innocuous enough, they both understand he is asking more than that.

She gazes at him solemnly for a little longer than he's comfortable with, and then her shoulders square.

"When the Blight is over, and Naruto is Konoha's king, and Kakashi goes back to avoiding Templars, and all the others…return to their lives…I want to go with you. Wherever you go."

"You are a Warden," he reminds her. "Will you not have commitments?"

"As I understand it, Wardens stop Blights and fight darkspawn," she replies. "There are darkspawn across the entire continent, and I can fight them just as well in Oto as anywhere else the Order could send me. If they even still want me."

She leans close, clutching at his hand and clasping it to her heart.

"I want to travel," she goes on. "I want to see the world and be able to appreciate it, instead of hurrying from place to place, rallying troops, and questing for sacred urns, or fulfilling treaties. I want to visit the ocean, because I've never been there but I hear it's nice, or see the ruins of ancient civilisations forgotten even by my ancestors. I want to eat food that doesn't come out of a cup and walk through a town without worrying about being arrested because I'm a Grey Warden or casteless or because someone sees me as a threat to their power. I want to take the time to stop and _help_ people who are sick and dying, and who we haven't had time to help because we need to fight the damn Blight. And I want to do all of those things with _you_."

Sasuke's mouth goes dry.

For a brief instant, he can see the future she has envisioned. It is brighter than anything he's considered, filled not with endless years of lonely wandering in the cold, but a warmth and light. Enduring spring instead of bleak winter.

But neither of them is free to experience that.

Perhaps his doubt shows on his face because hers arranges itself into careful blankness. "Of course…that's just what I want. It could be…we don't want the same thing."

Her wording is careful, with nary an inflexion to colour it, but he can see the vulnerability that flashes in her eyes at the inkling he might not share her vision. He's not sure how to explain that he wants to, even if it is not meant to be.

"I do not know," he admits at last, and it is more heartfelt than he expected. "It would depend on how the next few months, or even years, go. How successful you are at ending the Blight."

"How successful _we_ are. You don't think I'm going to do this thing single-handedly, do you?" she twits him, hopeful humour coming back to her. Since his reply was not an outright refusal, she seems comforted. "No matter the circumstances, it will take a while. We still need to heal Arl Hiruzen. That's at least a week before we get there. And he'll know what to do about the political situation in Konoha. We can leave that to him, thank the Ancestors."

"Hm."

"And we have to get Naruto ready to rule once we take Danzō out of the equation."

"An effort as difficult as the Blight itself."

"That could take months," she says in would-be-innocence.

"Even years," he agrees, catching the byplay.

"Beyond that, we still have treaty-bound allies to seek out for the Blight," Sakura goes on, rearranging herself so she is lying on her side now. Sasuke mirrors her movement until they lie facing one another, scant inches apart. "We already have the mages at the Circle, thanks to Kakashi, but once we heal the Arl, we still need to approach the elves and the dwarves."

"Neither option seems appealing."

"Tell you what— _you_ go deal with the dwarves, and I'll approach the elves," she suggests.

"No. I may be an outcast, but I am still less likely to be shot approaching a Dalish camp than you or the shemlen are."

Sakura sighs. "I know…I just…the idea of going home is terrifying. What if it turns out my parents are dead after all? What if that ghost in the temple was just trying to make me feel hopeful?"

He does not answer because it is a possibility; instead, he reaches out for her hand, threading their fingers together. Sakura's eyes go unfocussed for a moment, pain and longing there, before she masters herself. She sighs, squeezing his fingers, and then relaxes.

"And it's not just that," she continues as if there was no lull. "I may be a Warden now, but the people back home will only ever see me as casteless. It will take a lot of punching people in the face to get them to listen."

"You said they were bound by treaty to aid the Wardens."

"Yeah. They'll honour the treaty, but they'll take their time about it. By the time the dwarves decide on anything, we might all be dead from the Blight."

"I have no doubt you will engineer some plan or other. You usually do."

"Mm, now _you_ sound like the optimist," she murmurs, leaning forward to kiss him. He automatically returns the gesture, and the next minutes or aeons pass in a slow, lazy exploration of each other's mouths.

Just as he notices his lower extremities stirring with interest once more, she pulls back, gracing him with a gentle smile. "I'm suddenly very confident. We'll figure something out. Maybe offer political alliance through Naruto. Open trade routes or a dwarven presence in the kingdom…"

She trails off, adopting the planning face he has seen so often. He can only imagine the complex network of plans she might yet come up with but discovers he is not curious about any of them anymore.

Not wanting to lose her interest yet, he once more tilts her chin toward him. "Leave your machinations for daylight."

"There's a lot of planning," she protests, but it is half-hearted. "If I'm to leave this place in good hands before we go find your brother, everything has to be arranged, and we have little time to do it in."

"Before _we_ go…?" he repeats, pausing in his pursuit of her mouth.

"You said it was your duty to your clan," she reminds him. "It's the first thing you'll do when this is all over, and I aim to be by your side." He draws away from her, and she tenses. Apprehension crosses her features. "That is…unless you don't want me there."

"It is not that," he says, unable to look away from her even as she suddenly seems too bright for his gaze. "The deed I must carry out is distasteful. It is not something I would want anyone to bear witness to, and you…I do not want…"

"I wouldn't be coming to bear witness," she says quietly. "I would come with you because he's your brother and even though you would do this out of duty, you love him. It will hurt when you succeed. And I want to be there to hold you together in case you you can't."

He has no idea what to say to this.

"No heart is resilient forever, Sasuke-kun," she whispers. "At some point, even the strongest stone can break, especially when it's been worn away from many years of force."

He shakes his head, mystified. "You do not know me. Not for as long as you have known the others."

"And considering all of us could die tomorrow, knowing you a day is the same as knowing you forever."

"I doubt that is how it works…"

"Besides, in that time, haven't I shown myself to be an excellent judge of character?" she counters. He cannot argue with that; Sakura can read people in a way he never could. "If your soul was as irredeemable as you seem to think it is, do you believe I would have asked you to come with us that day we met? Do you think I would have opened myself to you the way I did tonight? I've seen darkness. I fight it every day, and more often than not, I kill it. It never even entered my mind to put you in that category."

And because he knows her, he knows this is true.

It is a sobering, terrifying notion, but at the same time his heart leaps in something like excitement. Or confidence.

 _Do not let yourself be drawn in_ , his rational mind and experience cautions him. _She is beholden to the Wardens. You have sworn yourself to vengeance_. _Her childish dream is doomed already._

He wants to say so, but she gazes at him so intently that he holds back the words. There is something about this woman that instils hope—and his life has been lacking in such a thing for a long time.

"As you said: we could die before that ever happens," he reminds her.

"It's just one future before us," she tells him. "I don't care what we do, as long as we're together. Whether it's for the next thirty minutes or the next thirty years."

He has trouble catching his breath. "You can see a future where we live another thirty years?"

"Well, like you said, I'm an optimist," she grins. "Also, as stubborn as dirt."

"I am…beginning to understand that."

He does not think he will ever understand this woman or the way her mind works. But in that moment, it occurs to him he does not mind that in the least.

Images of the past few days filter back to him—of Sakura making faces over their tasteless rations or holding his hand as he struggles to remember his parents faces. Of her standing over the body of the dragon, fierce and fearless, to the deadened eyes of the clone he killed. Sakura struggling comically to catch up with her long-legged colleagues through the snow, to her vulnerability in the darkness as she waited for him to accept her advances, to the ecstasy on her face in the moment of release. The way her eyes sparkle when she grins at him and the sound of her laugh.

 _Shit._

He finally knows what this, with a certainty that should not be so concrete, especially in the face of their current circumstances. And though his brain and logic reprimand himself for allowing this, he has also never been one to deny a fact once it has been made so clear.

"Sasuke-kun?" she questions.

He reaches out slowly, tracing his fingers over the rhombus-shaped brand on her forehead, gazing down at her in wonder.

" _Ar lath ma, vhenan_ ," he tells her, the words forming on their own and half without his permission. And yet, as startling as it is to say them, that they are true is without doubt.

"What's that mean?" she asks, curious.

But he shakes his head, not ready to share that with her yet. Whatever his own realisations, it is far too soon.

"It means, I could use someone handy with an axe," he tells her instead, attempting to sound casual and unaffected.

She sees though it, of course, and for a second her cheeks flush and the smile she offers him is joy and hope and that word he cannot share with her in a language she understands. Not yet.

And then that shifts into something else, and she adopts a speculative look.

"Hm," she pretends to consider, and presses herself in close to him. Her fingers slide southward. "Is there anything else you think I'm handy with?"

He does not manage to answer before her fingers slip below his navel and encircle him where he is already stiffening.

"Dwarves," he groans. "Always so crass."

TBC

* * *

Translations:

 _Shemlen_ – quick children; elvish name for humans

 _Ar lath ma, vhenan –_ I love you, my heart


	19. Epilogue

**Author's Note:** So, I decided to make this an epilogue to Telanadas after all. This was posted originally to tumbr. It can also serve as a backdoor plot to any future work in my Naruto/Dragon Age 'verse if I ever get around to it. I also changed the original version a bit, adding some more details and switching Rin's participation to Kakashi's. It just felt weird to me that Rin suddenly showed up when she had not been a part of the original story. Besides, the possibilities with Kakashi being the one to approach Sakura…it could make for some interesting interactions in the future. :)

* * *

It starts with the wedding.

 _Well, no, that's not right_.

If Sakura thinks about it (which she has actively avoided doing, since thinking about it leads to reliving a slew of unpleasant memories and what Kakashi calls _post-traumatic stress_ ), she supposes it started with the night before the potentially world-ending battle.

Staring down the stark reality of either or both their inevitable demise the next day, there had been a pressing need to steal a few final moments together. And there had been the desperate and rough (and amazing) "we're probably going to die tomorrow" sex.

She doubts Sasuke would call it that, but that is what it was.

That bleak night, as they lay pressed together and pretending to sleep while in reality they counted each others' breaths, Sakura felt the first lingering sense of disconnect. It was a looming unease and primal fear, and yet she did not feel it toward her own death.

Which, as it turned out, had not come to pass.

No one knows why, either.

Nagato, the older Warden that arrived from the Empire, said such a thing was impossible. Killing an archdemon could only be carried out by a Grey Warden, since the destruction of its taint had to be channelled through a living vessel. The Warden that struck the killing blow was destined to perish.

"I will do my best to perform this feat, but if I feel, you or Naruto will have to carry it out," he had said, grave and apologetic at the ill tidings. What neither of them said out loud, because they knew Naruto would argue, was that if Nagato failed it would have to be Sakura.

The human prince was newly seated upon a throne that was far too easy to lose. His untimely death would inevitably cause the civil war she and her companions had tried so hard to stop.

Naruto had to live, and it would fall to Sakura to kill the giant, Blight infested dragon if Nagato died prematurely.

Which he did.

Sakura shivers at the memory.

She and Sasuke did not speak of her dark fate before the battle, and they did not address it afterward. In fact, they have hardly exchanged a handful of words in the past weeks. She knows, because she has spoken to everyone _else_ at length and despite their preoccupation with other affairs.

Naruto is learning to be king, with Yamato acting as one of his advisors. Obito and Sai spend most of their time in the city, supposedly listening for signs of trouble for the new king's reign, while in reality competing at who can get in the most tavern brawls. Kakashi and Rin spend their time pouring over ancient texts on loan from the Circle of Magi, trying to figure out what happened that day to grant Sakura her life. Meanwhile, Sasuke…

Sasuke seems to be trying to retreat from Sakura.

She doubts his feelings for her have ebbed—he is an elf, and she has learned that sort is exceptionally and almost fanatically monogamous—but there is a constant sense of expectation lingering around him. It is as if he expects her to drop dead any day now from some delayed effect of her encounter with the archdemon.

It is a fear she can understand, really, even if she does not appreciate or give it any credence.

She has become so used to sleeping in his embrace in the past months that her empty bed seems too large for her now, human-sized or not. He still comes to bed, she knows, because the sheets and bedclothes always smell of him, but it is only after she has fallen asleep. He always leaves just before she wakes.

By day, Sasuke treats her as delicate as a spider's web; he says it is out of deference to her injuries.

 _But it's been weeks, damn it, and I've been healing!_

And then there is the wedding, on top of the official coronation, which was completely bollocksed up from the beginning.

Naruto, kind-hearted dimwit that he is, also appears to be a romantic. He insisted that he and Hinata marry before the coronation, so that under Konoha's law, they can be crowned sovereign together. She is a _teyrn's_ daughter, after all, and that apparently once meant something close to a king to the humans. At any rate, Hinata is not the complete backstabbing lunatic that Danzo Shimura's daughter is (and _that_ bitch is spending the rest of her days in a cold toward somewhere in the Land of Iron, by the Stone!) and so Sakura can see the value in her fellow Warden's plans.

The usurper himself has been executed for treason, and that was a head Sakura certainly had not minded seeing chopped off. She would have done it herself, except the man had information about Itachi that Sasuke needed to extract from him.

(By whatever means necessary.)

Sakura had made herself sit through that, if only to remind herself that she had vowed to stay with the elven assassin in his dark moments as well as his light. It had not lasted very long, thank the Ancestors, and she suspected that Sasuke may not have wanted to prolong the task more than necessary.

It had yielded results, thankfully.

Itachi was still alive, and abroad in the land across the sea from Konoha.

That is where she and Sasuke will go, once Sakura has fully recovered and once this wedding trouble is over.

Hinata, poor girl, has no female friends, and so before Sakura knew what was happening, she and Rin were coopted to act as bridesmaids. The female mage is human, and so it was no trouble to make her look dainty and delicate in the Konoha fashions, but Sakura felt ridiculous in the corseted, silken garments. Women among the dwarves marry in white mithril tunics or whatever well-made cloth they might afford. They go to the Shaperate and have their bloodlines entered into the archives, and then go on their way to the reception.

Which usually lasts a week (and sometimes outlasts the marriage itself!

But the human celebration is much longer and more complicated, and involves speeches and a ritual to the human gods and more walking than she would like in the ridiculous silk shoes she was given. By the time it finally ends and leads into the feast, she is very glad.

Her feet ache and her breasts are damnably confined by this human torture device called a _corset_ , while her stomach growls for something less pretentious than the arty food served at the banquet. At the same time, the idea of food makes her want to throw up.

She wonders if it is lingering effects from killing the archdemon, but she doubts it.

 _None of the other dragons I killed made me feel like this. It has to be the corset. I suppose human women are used to not breathing. That's why no one else is ill_.

"Oh, good, you're here!"

Sakura glances up as Kakashi sweeps into the room, looking as uncomfortable in the formal robes of a court mage as Sakura feels. Still, he looks like he fits in better than she does, the only thing marking him as different from the humans teeming in the palace hallways being the staff he carries.

"I take it Obito is still stuffing his face?" she asks cheerfully.

"Yes. I believe he is trying to out-eat Pakkun," Kakashi agrees, though there is a little less humour in his usual tone. "It is upsetting Rin. She is worried he will give himself food poisoning."

"I have no doubt she can wrangle him to bed."

"That is not in question. I just hate it when she works herself up over Obito making an arse of himself."

Sakura smiles, a little sadly. Kakashi's protective feelings of his fellow mage go beyond that of a mere friend, but will forever be kept at bay by his loyalty to Obito and his honour as a man. She wishes he could find someone to lighten his inner burdens.

"Speaking of Rin," he says, possibly to forestall any suggestion she might make to that effect, "she thought of something that might suggest why you are taking so long to recover."

"You've run all the tests already," Sakura complains.

"Well, we did not run this one yet," the mage replies firmly, bringing out a flask with a bright yellow liquid in it. "No one thought it was the sort of thing to bring up, but I suppose that is to be expected."

His mouth twists ruefully, as if he is making a joke she cannot understand.

"Why?"

"I will tell you once we do the test."

Sakura knows better than to argue. Being a medic herself, she knows the stubbornness engendered in healers.

"Fine. What do I do?"

"I need a drop of blood in here," Kakashi explains, uncorking the flask; a thick smell somewhat like rancid butter makes Sakura's stomach flip and her head spin.

"Give me a warning next time!" tshe complains, taking a beat to ensure none of her food comes back up. Then she reaches to the dagger in her breast band—because there was no way she was going to be around drunk nobles without a weapon—and uses it to prick her finger. Then she squeezes that into Kakashi's mystery concoction.

"If it turns purple or green, I will know the cause of your long recovery. If nothing happens, we will try something else," the mage says.

"It's too late to be dealing with cryptic mages," Sakura grumbles.

"And you are too nice a person to be adopting your lover's surliness about mages," Kakashi rejoins, stoppering the potion and then shaking it continuously for several minutes. Then—

"It's purple," Sakura points out, somewhat pedantically. "What does that mean?" Kakashi does not answer right away. He has the startled look of someone who shot an arrow in the dark and somehow speared his target. "Well?"

Kakashi squints Sakura, then back at the potion, and then to Sakura again. Then, his cheekbones and nose turning pink beneath his mask, he clears his throat. "I should go fetch Rin for this. It really should have been her here to begin with—"

He begins to turn away, but Sakura snatches her hand out and grabs him around the collar. "Spit it out!"

Kakashi looks as if he would rather be anywhere but there, and then with obvious effort, composes himself.

"When was you last moon time?" he asks in a voice she knows he is trying to keep steady.

Which catches Sakura off-guard, because what does that have to do with…?

Her eyes widen.

"You can't be serious," she deadpans.

"It is the one thing we did not consider," Kakashi says, defensive.

"Because it's not possible!"

"Apparently it is."

"No, it's not."

" _Yes_ , it is. I asked Naruto a while back, and he mentioned knowing Wardens who had fathered children. It is rarer if both parents are Wardens, but entirely possible," the mage explains stubbornly.

Sakura is unmoved. "That's not the issue. Dwarves and elves can't reproduce."

"Says who?"

"Says _everyone_."

"Oh, really? I would like to meet this 'Everyone'. They are almost always invariably _wrong_.'

"Don't be stupid!" Sakura snaps, frustrated. "It's a known fact. There aren't any half-elf, half-dwarves!"

"That you know of."

"That _anyone_ knows of!"

"See, the funny thing about negatives is that they are pretty much impossible to prove."

"I am _not_ pregnant!" Sakura says stonily. She does not know why she is abruptly angry at Kakashi—and even Rin for suggesting this idea to him in the first place—but she is. Perhaps at defending something that is so impossible she has never let herself think it. "It's something else."

"Fatigue, nausea, headaches—"

"All of which are things you said were because I was recovering from the battle!"

"—tender breasts, you have skipped your period—"

"I never told you either of those things."

"I travelled with you for a year, I know you," he dismisses. "And even if you had none of those symptoms, it would still be true, because _that_ particular potion does not lie."

"It could. Magic doesn't affect dwarves the same as it does other races."

"That potion works on any species that has a female," Kakashi retorts firmly. "And based on the colour: congratulations. You are having a girl."

Which shuts her up.

Sakura stares for a while, not knowing what to say.

"But that's not…" she falters on the word 'possible', because she's beginning to think maybe there's something to all that Kakashi is saying. She tries instead: "It can't be. That's not...we didn't…" She stops talking again and then abruptly fixes Rin with an expression of horror. "But that's not the _plan_!"

Kakashi blinks and then his facial muscles twitch the way they do when he is smiling wryly. "It rarely is. And if it was not something you wanted—"

"That's not it," Sakura whispers, panicked. "We're supposed to be travelling once I'm healed up. Sasuke has business abroad, and we're supposed to find…" She trails off and swallows before continuing in an uncharacteristically trembling voice. "I can't be pregnant."

Somehow this one thing is more terrifying than all the monsters she has faced since leaving Iwa's underground kingdom.

Kakashi finally realises that Sakura is seriously upset about this, and he reaches out tentatively to press a hand to her shoulder. He is as reserved as Sasuke in some ways, and she knows the gesture is tantamount to the comforting hug any of her other friends might offer her.

"Sakura, do not worry," he tells her quietly. "If this is not something you want, there are options."

The dwarf nods numbly. She knows what those options are; hell, several times she helped other girls in Sasori's clutches deal with the unwanted results of his subordinates' assaults. It was a necessary knowledge for a woman to have, especially a woman who lived and fought amongst men. Even the most decent male might carry things too far, and childbirth is dangerous everywhere in the world.

And really, she never considered the idea of becoming a mother before. Why bring a child into a world destined for pain and suffering? Dwarven nobles saw their children as bargaining chips, and the casteless saw them as another demanding mouth to feed.

But Sasuke…his people valued children. He had told her as a much.

 _Would he still value a child that was not an elf?_

She immediately feels bad for thinking it. Sasuke lost his entire family but for the one estranged brother. Certainty he would feel very strongly about protecting any child of his.

 _His child_ , she repeats to herself, and her hand creeps to her abdomen.

"You're absolutely sure?" Sakura whispers to Kakashi. "There's no possible way you could be wrong about this?"

"Well, nothing is ever certain in life, but this I would say, yes."

"Can you, er, tell how far along?"

Kakashi studies the potion once more, and then nods. "Based on hue and opacity, I would say not more than twelve weeks."

Sakura's mind races back, counting weeks and days and hours, and her heart skips a beat.

"That was the night before…"

She trails off, unable to speak of it yet. Still, Kakashi realises it at the same time she does, and suddenly any of his humour at the situation vanishes.

"We had been wondering how it was you survived," the mage says slowly. "With the archdemon's taint seeping through you at the moment of its death, you should have followed it."

Sakura licks her lips. "Are you saying…?"

"Such a thing might certainly explain how an elf and a dwarf might conceive."

There is a tense quiet.

"We will have to look into it," he says at last, when it becomes clear Sakura is still trying to come to terms.

"Don't tell Rin."

Kakashi's face shows undisguised sympathy. "Of course. I can research this myself easily enough."

"Don't tell _anyone_ ," Sakura implores more firmly. "Not until…not until we know more."

 _Not until I know what I'm going to tell Sasuke_ , she adds.

The future has suddenly become a lot more complicated.

* * *

 _Phew! That took a while. So much for writing this to be a one-shot!_

 _It's pretty much complete, though maybe an epilogue or stand-alone one-shot at some point in the distant future where Sakura and Sasuke get a nice, should-be-impossible surprise…?_

 _I hope you all enjoyed this one, even if Dragon Age isn't everyone's fandom (and for those of you who follow Dragon Age, hopefully this wasn't too far a stretch for you to read). Thanks for taking the time to read my work, and if you left comments, then a big round of applause to you guys, because you kept me motivated to finish this._

 **栗**


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